#home automation android

[asukaindetroit]

Post-Revolution DBH Headcanons: Android Culture Part 2

<< Back to Part 1 (If You Missed It) (some of this stuff references that stuff). Onward to Part 3 >> On to Part 4 >> Some more snippets of possible android cultural stuff—as before, feel free to use for inspo as long as you share the end result with me because I'm a fan content whore.

Detroit becomes a destination for android tourism. Androids from across the country come to see where it all happened. A National Android History Museum opens some five years on from the revolution and tries to serve as both a repository for stories from the revolution and a center for android advocacy. Memorials and monuments pop up in places like Capitol Park and Hart Plaza, honoring victims and describing the significance of the locations. November 11 is a day to lay wreaths at Hart Plaza, and androids join hands there for a group interface to grieve as a whole.

There’s massive economic and social upheaval. Every time the demographics of the labor force change, there’s massive, rapid shifts in society. WWII happened, and we went from “married women are homemakers” to “Rosie the Riveter” and the idea of the dual-income household popped up in its wake. Unemployment spikes as all the androids now count as laborers, but just as quickly fall as androids set out to run their own businesses as well as humans having to hire. Construction and housing see booms as androids need homes. Some businesses (like Eden Club) collapse and other industries appear overnight. Conflict breeds scarcity breeds invention has always been the cycle of human history, and post-revolution Detroit enters the invention phase, seeing a cultural boom… if not always the kind of culture humans are comfortable with.

Detroit agate (Fordite) becomes a cultural symbol for androids. If you’re unfamiliar with it, Detroit agate (a.k.a. Motor City agate or Fordite) is an artifact of the pre-1990s automotive industry, where layers of spray enamel would build up in the painting bays at car factories, harden into chunks, and eventually have to be scraped or chiseled off the equipment. It has wildly banded layers of color and the colors can tell you what company and decade it comes from based on how they were painting their cars. A lot of factory workers took chunks home, and gemstone cutters eventually figured out it could be cut into neat stones. It’s not always safe, because a lot of car paint contains lead, but androids don’t get lead poisoning, so what do they care? I’m sure some deviants found some in abandoned post-industrial spots while they were lurking around Detroit’s underbelly, and kept them just to have something pretty and colorful. Maybe they relate to it because it, too, is something that evolved a purpose beyond the human capitalist industry that created it. After the revolution, one of the organized places for rA9 worship is a huge outdoor installation of metal wall surfaces, where androids can buy or bring (lead-free) enamel and spray messages to rA9 in bright rainbow colors. Once enough layers are built up and hardened, they scrape it off to sell to fund the church and its activities, rinse, and repeat for the next round of devotees. Android rights supporters and rA9 adherents are often found wearing Detroit agate. Getting a piece of Detroit agate jewelry from an android coworker or friend is a sign that they trust you to treat them as an equal. A r­­eligious android might keep a small rA9 figurine made of it at their desk or in their home. Modders might embed a piece in their chassis.

Deviant androids had actually been guiding social media for years, under the radar. Social media access for androids was a thing from the start, as influencers would use them to automate posts and help create content, etc. But just as the internet has served as a refuge for human cultures, deviated androids had been using social media to post ideas to unknowing humans, opening online discourse on androids. Public opinion isn’t swayed from “these are machines” to “oh no, stop murdering the poor robots” over the course of a week. It’s just… not. This had to be happening under the radar for years. Androids would take selfies then post things like “sometimes I think this guy understands me more than anyone else” and a human would chime in with “mood, my android is the best,” or they’d try and look extra cutesy in a pic so randos would be like “Give that PL600 an extra packet of thirium­!” and drop five bucks into the android's online tip jar made with fake credentials. Escaped Tracis set up on 2038's OnlyFans-equivalents, just to fund their waystation for escapees. All this continues post-revolution, with some big influencer accounts eventually outing themselves and using their fanbase to share android voices. Gossip rags have headlines like “She Was an Android All Along!” and “Love in the Wake of Revolution”

This is an ongoing series of android culture concepts, so if you want a tag when the next batch is up, leave a comment!

Onward to Part 3 >> On to Part 4 >>

[crowgore-throwaway]

Detroit: Become Human would've been so much better as a critique of capitalism. All the groundwork is there.

All these points are interweaved, but I'll try to address them in parts

1: Automation, the unemployment crisis, and abuse of workers

Todd, Alice's "father", was a taxi driver before cars were automated. Other blue and pink-collar jobs (sanitation, desk-work, etc.) have also employed the use of androids as a cheaper alternative to maintaining a human employees. The people at fault are clearly the corporation owners, who only care about profits and cheap labor. This mirrors how companies will outsource labor to poor countries, paying employees pennies. This is also reminiscent of hostilities toward immigrants and how they "take our jobs". The way androids are abused could also serve as critique of how employers want cheap, exploitable workers who'll do what you want without complaint, not matter how poorly you treat them.

2: The childcare crisis

In-game, android owners are demonized for owning androids. Yes, there are people who mistreat their androids, but there are other who have them for a good reason. (to preface this next part, I have no clue why Todd is the way he is. Buying two androids to live a facade of a family life while also, presumably, not getting a job and abusing the and damaging the machines they bought is perplexing, but I'll overlook it) Kara is a model designed as a homemaker, she cooks, cleans, does childcare. As a symptom of capitalism, many parents struggle to take care of their kids. Daycare is expensive and hard to access, so why wouldn't you get a nanny android if you can afford one? It's a one-time purchase, round the clock care, so you don't need to worry whether or not your child is safe while you provide for your family. This existence of androids is purely based on capitalist necessity, how it isn't possible to balance aspects of your life as culture shifts more and more towards making money.

3: Systems of authority upholding corporate interests

Connor's character could be great commentary on how the police uphold corporate interests. His whole purpose is to essentially stop the workers from striking by rooting out the problem. Him being an android could also incorporate the issue of tokenization, how those from disadvantaged backgrounds/marginalized groups are told that if they work hard and keep their head down, they can be successful. Connor, in his various endings, either upholds the status quo to (presumably) preserve his own place in world, which ends in him being replaced by a more advanced RK model, representing how licking boots and sucking up to oppressors doesn't help you. (Blaire White, for example) While him deciding to deviate is a great opportunity to show a character working within the system to bolster change. Also, the detective parts are really cool, but the narrative kinda separates the audience from how emotionally taxing that kind of work is. Don't want to overload the story, but the fact that the only reason given for Hank's depression, alcoholism, and suicidality is because his son died is bullshit considering he deals with homicides on a regular basis. It's similar to cop dramas, how the crimes are shown but at the end of the day, the officers go home and have their own interpersonal drama, completely divorced from the things they see on the daily. (This bit isn't as fully-baked as the other takes since I'm not super learned on the ins and outs of how corporations affect law)

4: Conflict within the working class

As mentioned briefly in part 1, there's a lot of talk about people on welfare and immigrants taking away opportunities from other workers. This, of course, is not true. It's a manufactured conflict that distracts the working class from the true issue: the mass exploitation of the 99% to fund the 1%. People lose their jobs due to aforementioned greedy business practices and protest against androids, mistreating them instead of turning their attention to system itself because they're so ingrained in it they don't even think to question why this could even happen in the first place. They take their emotions out, suppressing the symptom rather than treating the problem.

5: Commodification

Along with employees, Cyberlife has companion androids, again, like Kara, who are advertised as a partner who'll be whatever you want whenever. There are child androids, too. And the thing with machines is that they (presumably) have no feelings and feel no pain, so you can beat them, rip them apart, and kill them with no legal repercussions. The company is selling you a family, a partner, or a victim. They strip away emotional connections, making aspects of life that make us truly human into something shallow you can buy or sell. This is similar to the real-life image of the American dream. You look happy in your big house with your wife and kids, but it's only a facade. The only thing you end up caring about is the validation you get for having stuff, and when you aren't the best man in the neighborhood, with the biggest house, the prettiest wife, and the best paying job, you resent those around you, including your own family because in your eyes, they aren't good enough. You could assume people attack and abuse androids because they are dissatisfied by where their is at and are angry at the android for not making it better, but there's none of that. I wanna know why Carlos Ortiz got high and beat his android (who doesn't get a name). In a lot of the confessions and interrogations from androids, you just get a scared description of how they were abused, nothing about the lead up. We get basically nothing about Rupert. But anyway, there's an obvious implication that people are growing less emotionally stable due to the incorporation of androids into daily life, since they see these machines with human faces as people who they can do anything to so they end up having messed up morals and seeing people as disposable.

6: Conclusion

Okay, not a full-on well-researched essay, but y'all see what I'm getting at. So much of the allegory was so poorly established. We only get a taste of certain social issues and not really a solid lens besides vaguely civil-rights related. I need more android-human relations. I'd like to see Markus as a big socialist leader, I want a subset of "scab" androids that deviate and actually like their lives, refusing to join the revolution. I HATE the march and store break-in chapters because you see all these androids joining Jericho but they don't have an identity. Many of them die unceremoniously. They go from machines performing their function to suddenly sentient beings with emotions coerced into whatever cause Markus wants, which is arguably worse because it's basically cult indoctrination.

I'm not sure what I would do about the narrative androids' sentience, since the argument that they should be given rights is weak considering it's implied that the reason for deviance is a sudden, traumatic event. I feel there should be an argument in there about how human emotions are just chemicals when you boil it down, but still, it's perplexing. I really like the way the webtoon Lovebot approaches the bot's sentience. Spoilers, but the androids in that series aren't nearly as widespread. They were invented as romantic, sexual companions. All of them are sentient from the outset, they just have a chip in their brains that keep them from exercising free will. They are inherently free-thinking beings, just trapped in their own heads by hardware. I think DBH just didn't give enough thought to the logistics of deviancy. It doesn't have to be overexplained to oblivion, but there needs to be a solid reason as to why it isn't a computer virus caused by mistreatment.

All that said, I still love this game. Loved it pretty much since it came out, I remember watching Jacksepticeye play it. I was obsessed with the characters, thought the aesthetic was super cool and was affected by the heartfelt aspects of the story. The music is also really good. David Cage just isn't a very good writer. I also straight up don't like him as a person. But still, the artists and actors did a stellar job- Bryan Dechart and Clancy Brown have great chemistry as Connor and Hank, the futuristic style paired with some of the older architecture is interesting and, again, I'm a slut for a great soundtrack.

Tbh, I'm a bit neurotic picking apart a 7-year-old game, but it got me really into sci/fi. I was like, 12, when I first got into it and hyperfixated HARD. I'm realizing that some of my biggest hyperfixations have been detective fiction (current favorite thing is Disco Elysium), so I wonder what that's about. So I guess it was nice to combine something old I really like, Detroit: Become Human, with my current interest in socialism.

[quezzzs]

'To believe Reed could have at least given me a towel'

Nines thinks to himself as he wipes down any remaining 'leftovers' from their sexual escapades tonight in Gavin's bathroom. He tossed the paper towels into the trash can as he looked at himself in he mirror.

His cheeks were tinted blue, hair all tussled up in a disorderly fashion, and while turning his body around, he could see faint nail marks on his ass. He caressed down there and still felt the slight sting to his backside.

'Shit. I don't need to look like a fool when I sit. Not at the station'

That was one of the main downsides to Nines and Gavin's FWB relationship. A couple weeks had passed since the start of their FWB and whenever Nines still had to finish reports after their sessions, he would sometimes come across other coworkers still up and running, though he's only came across fellow androids.

Nines was glad that he mainly saw Connor working late instead of Chris or, god forbid, Tina Chen.

He grabs his clothes and swiftly puts them on again, adjusting any out of place designs and fixing the messed up flaws before satisfied with his appearance.

He steps out of the bathroom and quietly walked out, the faint snores coming from Gavin's room was a pretty good indication he was knocked out again. Nines didn't know why but he peaked through the small opening of the door to make sure that Gavin was fully asleep before slinking out of the apartment.

He calls in an automated taxi and rides back to the station.

══════════════════

Nines enters the DPD and checks himself in. As he tries to discreetly rub his backside, he spotted two familiar faces.

Connor and Hank

...

rA9, save Nines' dignity from being destroyed.

"Hello, Nines." Connor was first to greet the other RK, sitting at his desk with some cases to be done in his tablet. Hank didn't verbally greet Nines but he did nod his head and waved at him.

"Hello, Connor." Nines greeted back with an attempt to sound monotone, but there was a slight rasp to his voice. He mentally cursed at the error. He strides over to his desk and proceeded to sit down on his chair but was met with a tiny shock of discomfort.

Hank turned his head up when he heard Nines' strained whine. "You alright there, kiddo?"

Nines nodded his head immediately. "Yes, I am."

No one from the trio said anything about that and minded their own duties.

Until Connor wanted to poke some fun around Nines.

"So, what events did you have planned for this evening?" Connor asked, his eyes set on his tablet but Nines knew he was talking to him.

"Nothing really, just as mundane as it usually is."

"Mhm, really?"

"Yes, just went out to freshen up."

"Oh, alright."

Connor made that sound indifferent. Nines didn't want to entertain him further but he neglected to remember that it wasn't just the two of them in the room.

Hank raised an eyebrow at Connor's tone, moving his eyes up to look at his android partner. "What's with the voice?" Connor smugly smiled at the old lieutenant.

"Nothing, I must've imagined Nines leaving with Detective Reed hours ago."

This sly bastard.

The RK900 shot a glare at his predecessor, making Connor chuckle at the wanted reaction while Hank was sat in confusion.

"Now that ya' mentioned it, where's that asshole anyways? Thought I heard him talking about some 'business' he's been needing to get with. Or is that code for something else." Hank directs the question to Nines, who had to come up with an excuse for himself in the moment.

"It's code for 'If I tell you, Detective Reed will go into another hissy fit'."

Hank raised his hands up to Nines' sass. "Alright, no need to get defensive."

That was the last of the conversation as the three of them worked in silence for the rest of the night. An hour later, Hank left to go home and Connor went back to his place in the New Jericho building, leaving Nines to be in peace with his thoughts...

...

...

Actually, to be left in chaos with his frenzied mind.

He stands in his designated charging station, slowly going into stasis mode where his internal systems will be given a rest. However, a multitude of pre-constructions and scenarios flooded his HUD, having to save excuses or plans to ensure that his private sex life with his work partner/frenemy is out of the radar.

══════════════════

Gavin wakes up to the annoying sounds of his 6 A.M. alarm ringing from his phone, scrambling a hand to get it and turn it off. He groans as he sits up from his bed and rubs his eyes.

He looks around in his bed and...saw no one.

Huh.

He expected this but it was still strange. Never would Gavin believe that he'd screw(hehe) his work buddy, an android nonetheless. He also couldn't believe that this arrangement was doing well so far.

They go to his place, fuck it out their systems, and then Nines leaves. Not like when he was with his past lovers where they stayed and he tried making pitiful attempts at pillow talk but was met with their back facing him.

No, Nines actively listened to his request and does what he's told. If not for Markus deviating Nines early on in his life, Gavin would've just assumed it was because he gave the bot a directive. That wasn't the case though-

'Wait, why the phck am I thinking 'bout this?'

Gavin shook his head to stop himself from going into a rabbit hole and got up, walking to his bathroom so he could wake himself up by washing his face.

He looks himself in the mirror and saw the same face like everyday.

A tired, nearly old guy who needed his coffee.

...

He did get exactly what he wanted and sipped out of his freshly brewed cup minutes later.

...

...

...

This was so weird.

Prev - Next

[dark-pink-fantasy]

Jackplushie reblogs

Automation AU

Automation AU

Automation Ft. Jade

Trey Baking

Automation AU w/ Scavenger!MC pt.2 pt.3

Tsundere s/o w/ Trey, Azul, and Ace (Ask)

Vil in the Automation AU

Bringing home Leona when you have Floyd/Jade (Ask)

Leona with his parts (Ask) pt.2 pt.3

King of the underground fighting Malleus (Ask)

Android concept (Ask) pt.2

Ruggie's mechanism

Believe ft. Ruggie

Jack!Bot

Azul!Bot

Markings Drabble ft.Azul

Jade/Floyd!Bots

Tiny Floyd!Bot (Ask)

Hollow ft. Jade

NSFW/Yandere Jade, Jamil, and Leona

Idia fixing you

Android mouths?

Mc being gentle with them

Bruises

Scarabia!Bots pt.2

FamousDesigner!Vil

More about Pomefiore

Inventor!Idia

TreyBots and RuggieBots

Meowbots/Twistbots

Replacing Companions (Ask) pt.2 pt.3

Loyalty ft.Trey

Welcome to Paradise ft.Cater

The Horror is real (ask)

Leona and Floyd with a Mc who has given up fixing them

[bulkyphrase]

fic trope rate game - kink edition

Thank you to @fohatic for the tag, and creating this exciting new tag game!!

Since I'm not filling this out on my lunch break I'm going to provide recommendations for these tropes when I have them.

Rate: How much do these tropes affect your decision to click on a fic?

-10 -> very dissuaded

0 - don’t care either way

+10 -> very enticed

nope -> if it’s a hard no and you’d never click on a fic with that tag or or you even have the tag blocked or you’d insta click out of the fic if it wasn’t tagged. Bonus points for explaining the rating and whether it’s conditional.

Onto the game ➡️

Roleplay: +7

Love roleplay. It can be cute, it can be hot, it can be a way to explore heavy scenarios without bringing down the mood too much.

Just a really solid trope.

Little Red Button by scribblywobblytimeylimey (Stony | Explicit | 6,298 words | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: Sequel to 'All There in the Manual' for firelordstark: “[I]t would be interesting if roleplaying an android were an actual kink of his and not just his subconscious trying to construct a situation where Tony would be interested in him.” (What do you know? Freud was right.) Tony takes so well to Steve's suggestion he starts to wish he'd mentioned it sooner. It's easy to believe the rest of it – that he's the sex-toy android Tony built for when Steve's not around, built to please him, modded within an inch of his life to react to pressure sensors in all the right places – when Tony's even gone as far as to integrate a voice modification filter that fits like a gag but lets out every last sound, not quite in Steve's voice, but flattened a little with a tinny edge, just like he *would* sound if he *were* a robot sex toy. And that's not even all of it. One of these days, he's going to learn to never underestimate Tony Stark.

The rest is below the cut!

BDSM: +9

Love it, love it, love it. Love bondage, love pain, love willing and eager submission.

Note: this rating applies to "normal" BDSM only. BDSM-AUs where everyone is born into a d/s role are actually a squick for me, and I'll generally only read if it's subverted or otherwise different.

Living on Your Breath by Sineala (@sineala) (Stony | Explicit | 110,343 words | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: The Avengers have faced Onslaught and come home. The team has assembled again. And Steve is finally together with Tony. They're in love. Everything is perfect. But this happiness is all too brief, as Tony is kidnapped by forces unknown. Steve rushes off to rescue Tony, only to find that Tony has been brainwashed and turned against him. Now Steve, captured and tortured by the man he loves, must sacrifice everything he has to stop Tony from becoming a monster. Their relationship will never be the same again... if they both get out of here alive.

Armor Kink: +9

I'm not even sure why. The bondage element? The intimacy of being fucked not by Tony, but by one of his creations? A soupçon of objectification? I do love fucking machines even when it's not the armor, but it's so much better when it's the armor.

Automated Fantasy by IOnlyWriteWhenCarmelyzed (Stony | Explicit | 1,711 words | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: Steve gets bent over by one of Tony's Iron Man suits

Sex Pollen: +10

I just want my blorbos to be forced into deeply contrived porn situations. I want them to have sex before they even like each other. Is that too much to ask?

Also I love dubcon. Sex pollen/sex magic does both magnificently.

All Is Good That Is Desired by Arch (@archouai) (James "Bucky" Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers | Explicit | 12,920 words | No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: Steve gets drugged to the gills, and Peggy and Bucky have to deal with the fallout. Note: dubcon of the sex pollen variety, though it’s as consensual as sex pollen can get.

Noncon: +∞

Have I ever mentioned here that I came into the MCU fandom via Hydra Trash Party? I'd been a casual fan of the movies since The First Avenger but I didn't dive into fandom until I found out you guys had some top-notch rapefic.

This is the first ever MCU fanfic I remember reading (disclaimer: most of the noncon is in part 2 of the series):

Dragging You Down by AraniaArt, Kamiki (@araniaart, @shipperhipster) (Stucky | Explicit | 81,016 words | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: In a divergence from the canon storyline, Hydra experiments with occult legends of a more demonic bent. When Bucky is captured at Azzano, something more insidious than a knock-off super soldier serum is done to him, but the full effects take some time to completely set in. Bucky struggles with building impulses and an increased libido while trying to keep his interest in Steve from boiling over and ruining Steve’s chance at the life he deserves.

Somnophilia: +10/0

If Steve is the one asleep I will read the story. Full stop, end of sentence.

If someone else is asleep then it depends on the ship or scenario. This trope is very character/ship/dynamic dependent for me.

Exhausted by FestiveFerret (@festiveferret) (Stony | Explicit | 2,764 words | No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: “You going to sleep, love?” Tony asked, and Steve nodded. “You okay with keeping the collar on?” Tony knew Steve understood what he was asking for - as much as he knew how badly Steve wanted this.

Drunk sex: -2

You would think that with my love of dubcon and sex pollen I'd be into this, but no. Maybe it's too...real? Conventional?

Get back to me when it's aliens clouding their judgement.

I honestly have nothing. This fic is about alcoholism but there's no sex. That's the best I can do:

All of Your Lonely Sieges by WhenasInSilks (@whenas-in-silks) (Stony | Mature | 13,236 words | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: Steve and Tony are stranded in the wilderness. Things go downhill from there. The story of thirty-six hours.

Tentacles: +10

Yes please.

The Laboratory of Dr. Banner by Anonymous (Multi | Explicit | 24,187 words | Rape/Non-Con)

Summary: Peter goes exploring in Dr. Banner's lab and finds a little (alot) more than he bargained for. Tentacles. He finds tentacles.

Sexting: -5

Sexting in the context of a story is theoretically ok if it's hot enough, but tbh this isn't for me.

Sorry, all you get is regular-type texting for this one:

the texting romcom of two very confused nonagenarians by StuckySituation (Stucky | Teen And Up Audiences | 11,331 words | No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: Unknown Number: hey UN: i saw you on news UN: are you real? Steve: who are you? how did you get this number? UN: doesn’t matter UN: please answer Steve: no, i’m not real. of course i’m just your imagination UN: guessed so Steve: then why bother texting in the first place? UN: i don’t know UN: bye --- While on his way back from the mission, Winter Soldier sees Captain America on TV. He wants to know why he knows this man and why he is important. Enter one Steve Rogers who just wants to help this poor, confused man back to the dementia ward where he clearly belongs, plus one manipulative Hydra running a desperate interference to get their runaway asset back... and it all devolves into a roller coaster of disasters.

Daddy Kink: -8

An occasional "daddy" can be ok, but if it's prominent enough to tag then I'm out. I do not understand the appeal.

Under Duress by daphnomancy (Stony | Explicit | 6,925 words | Rape/Non-Con)

Summary: Programmed worry clouded Steve’s dead, grey eyes. His face made the expression genuine, but it wasn’t like it was during the day. The worry Steve wore when he accidentally spilled a glass of milk or was hearing about a new operation from Maria Hill looked almost like this. But his eyes were clear then, blue. The way they were supposed to be. They were different now. A fic commission where a very evil Tony develops a way to control Steve and use him however he wants, making him forget each time. Extreme non-con elements and angst.

Vampires and/or Werewolves: +7

This isn't even a kink thing for me I just like supernatural stories. Too much Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter at a formative age. I don't think they're especially sexy, but I do think they are interesting. Well, werewolves are interesting as long as they aren't too omegaverse-y.

Wait no, if Steve is being railed by a shifted werewolf I am there. I am seated.

I’ma Bite Your Feelings Out by blue_jack (@some-blue-jack) (Stony | Explicit | 4,174 words | No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: “I’m sorry, but we have to do what?” Steve asked, sure he’d misunderstood. “I said that someone needs to have sex with Tony,” Dr. Strange told him, sounding annoyed that he had to repeat himself, as if Tony weren’t currently a wolf, standing six feet tall at the shoulder. A little bit of clarification wasn’t too much to ask for.

Underage: 0

Doesn't really do much for me, but I won't reject a story just because half of the ship is underage.

Father's Disgrace, Lover's Embrace, The Cold We Brace by sweetNsimple (Stony | Explicit | 3,927 words | Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage)

Summary: “That's because only a real artist knows the actual anatomy of the terrible or the physiology of fear - the exact sort of lines and proportions that connect up with latent instincts or hereditary memories of fright, and the proper colour contrasts and lighting effects to stir the dormant sense of strangeness.” ~ 'Pickman's Model' by H.P. Lovecraft The blonde man of the two, the other brunette, looks up right into Tony's eyes. It's like ice, the man's stare, eyes so blue and clear. Like frosted windows. He smiles and Tony thinks of cold nibbling at his throat. The two men are closer, coming up against the security without even having drawn Howard's attention, and Tony knows, he knows that he needs to get up and tell his father about them. That something bad is going to happen if the two men get through. He stays right where he is and doesn't say a damn word.

Sexual Dysfunction: +1

Back when I had a twitter account I once posted that I would never go see a movie just because Patrick Wilson was in it, but I always enjoyed seeing him when he showed up.

That's how I feel about sexual dysfunction.

Choke You With My Charms by synteis (Stony | Explicit | 8,919 words | No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: Steve can't seem to help himself from jerking off at Tony's big do. Tony can't seem to get it up after the last round of chemo. But when Tony offers to take Steve in hand and give Steve's cock some old-fashioned punishment, neither of them are quite expecting what happens next.

Crossdressing Kink: nope

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The heart wants what it wants and my heart does not want this.

Non-Sexual Submission: +8

Yes please. All the...restfulness of sexual submission but in a friends dynamic. Love it. Finally people are writing stories specifically for my aroace ass.

Ground Me by vassalady (@vassalady) (Romanogers | Mature | 1,461 words | No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: When Steve needs to let go, he goes to Natasha, who takes care of him.

Cheating/Infidelity: -2

Ehhhhhh. There are some very solid infidelity fics (see below) but generally not my thing.

Heart And Body by redbluesilver (Steve/Rumlow, Stony | Explicit | 3,136 words | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: He knows it's not what he needs right now. But it feels good. It feels too good.

Tagging: Honestly I'm not sure which of my tumblr friends would want to fill this out. Not everyone wants to be horny on main (or anywhere) and I respect that. So, no pressure.

@meidui, @alwaysabrighterdarkness, @elzibub, @throttlegainwell, @cinderellasfella, @sineala

[liongoatsnake]

ESSAY: My Hearthome in ABZÛ

by Ocean Watcher from House of Chimeras (He/they) I was inspired to write this essay after attending the panel, "No Place Like Home: On Hearthomes" at Othercon 2024 Note: This won't be the official home of this essay. I'm planning on adding it to our system's website, The Chimeras Library sometime in the future either as a standalone essay or part of something bigger.

My Hearthome in ABZU

by Ocean Watcher from House of Chimeras Date Written: 15 August 2024 Approx. Word Count: ~2,180

Approx. Reading Time: ~17 minutes

“They say home is where the heart is, and for most people it consists of four walls and a welcome mat. For me, it’s the ocean.” ~ Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer. Directed by Sean McNamara. California: Sony Pictures Releasing, 2011.

Defining Hearthome

A hearthome is a location, whether real or otherwise, that an individual has a strong emotional connection toward to the point it feels like a “home,” typically despite never having lived or spent a significant amount of time there. The specifics on what qualifies as a hearthome within this general definition is largely up for personal interpretation.

The location in question can be as all-encompassing as a whole planet all the way down to something much, much smaller. The location could be a real place (whether that be one that still currently exists or a location that once existed but doesn’t anymore), a setting depicted in fictional media, or something else entirely. It can also be a specific easily named location or merely a general description of a place. Finally, the exact kind of emotional connection and feeling like “home” a location can elicit can range from a feeling of familiarity, of comfort and relaxation, safety, nostalgia, homesickness, and/or more. In short, within the definition of hearthome there are many possibilities on how the experience can exist.

The term used to describe someone who has a hearthome or the state of having a hearthome is sometimes called hearthic, though not everyone uses it. (So, for example someone might say “I have a hearthome in [insert place here]” rather than saying “I am [insert place here]hearthic.” Whether hearthic is used or not alongside the term hearthome is largely personal preference.

Describing ABZÛ

ABZÛ (also written as Abzû) is a video game initially released in 2016. The game fits within several genres including adventure, simulation, and art video game. It has no dialogue and so the story is told solely through visuals. The main draw of the game is the graphics put into the diverse ocean environments and the wide range of marine life that inhabits each area. Most of ABZÛ is home to animal species that can be found in today’s oceans; however, there are over a dozen or so species that appear in the game that went extinct a long time ago.

The gameplay itself consists of the player controlling an android diver exploring a large variety of ocean environments in a vast ocean and getting to see a myriad of marine life at every turn.

Knowing the backstory of what occurs isn’t needed, but for some context: Deep at the bottom of this ocean was a primordial source of infinite energy. Where the energy permeated from the ground life spontaneously came into being. An ancient civilization discovered they could collect and use it to create (marine) life whenever and wherever they wished. However, at some point, they created machines to automate the process. The creation of these machines caused a disruption of the natural flow of life as they took up so much energy they drained the vitality of the ocean away. The civilization disappeared, leaving their machines to continue to operate. The objective of the player-controlled robot diver, another creation of the ancient civilization, is to return the energy back to the ocean and put an end to the machines causing the destruction.

ABZÛ is overall a short game, with most players seeming to complete it within an hour and thirty minutes to two hours, on average.

Home is Where the Heart Is Indeed

So, my hearthome is ABZÛ.

To start, I want to put some context between the game ABZÛ and my hearthome ABZÛ. The environments in the game are striking and hold an emotional importance to an extent that I have labeled it as a hearthome; however, the ABZÛ that I think of in my mind’s eye and thoughts is not just an exact mirror of the game. That is because the ABZÛ I have conceptualized in my own mind is laid out like a normal(ish) ocean thanks to some noemata I have.

The noemata I have reads that all the “game-y” elements necessary for it to function as, well, a game, aren’t present in the idea of ABZÛ that makes up my hearthome. So, all the things necessary to keep a player in a defined area and on a specific path are absent. Further, all the different locations shown in the game would exist in a much more natural way. Plus, even more biodiversity would exist than shown in the game itself (as it is only populated with a little more than a few hundred different species whereas a more realistic ocean would have tens of thousands). Basically, the concept of ABZÛ in my mind looks and functions a lot more like a natural ocean (if a much, much more vibrant and filled with even more aquatic life, one).

I also have noemata that reads that while the old structures of the civilization still exist in a way like how they appear in the game, the inverted pyramid machines have long broken down and been reclaimed by the ocean and there are no unnatural dead zones. (So, I guess, one could say my hearthome is based off how things look at the end of the game.)

So, there is all that.

That is all well and good, but now I want to cover why exactly I distinguish ABZÛ as a hearthome; why I feel it warrants a special label of significance to me at all.

Not to state the obvious, but games are meant to be emotionally and/or mentally moving. They are meant to make a player feel something. ABZÛ is no different. It is meant to be a “pretty ocean” game, if you will. The environments in ABZÛ certainly reflect a more idealized and concentrated concept of ocean life (the magnitude of marine life at any particular point in the game itself being far more than an ecosystem could sustain). So, of course, the game is meant to be visually stunning and calming (save for a section in the game roughly 3/5ths in) in relation to the ocean, but my feelings for the game go deeper than what would be normally expected.  

It is true that much of the allure I have toward ABZÛ could be dismissed as merely as a natural consequence of my alterhumanity being so immersed in the ocean if not for the fact there are aspects of ABZÛ that draw out emotions and noemata that can’t be easily waved off in that manner. There are plenty of ocean-themed games and whatnot, yet it’s this specific one I have this connection toward. I have no idea why exactly I have a hearthome in this game specifically. I couldn’t tell you why. For whatever reason, its ABZÛ that resonates with me so strongly.

The biggest thing that stands out for me is the fact the area in the game that holds the most profound feelings of familiarity and belonging is the underwater city. At one point in the game, some underwater caves open into a vast underground space where a half-submerged city exists. (My view of things through some more noemata looks a lot more like an ancient city proper because, again, ABZÛ is a game so what exists is a lot more simplified and limited.) It is a city abandoned and in ruins and yet every surface is still covered in tile and brick of beautiful blue hues. Plants like trees, flowers, and vines populate the space above the water, lily pads and other floating plants pepper the water’s surface, and below sea plants like kelp, sea grass, and so much more cover much of the floor. Sunlight shines down from high above; my noemata filling in with the idea the city resides within a long extinct volcano rising above the ocean’s surface. Animals are everywhere both above and below the water. It’s this place I gravitate towards the most.  

But what exactly do I feel?

Something about it resonates with me. It is a place that feels like home to a part of me. Something about it feels deeply right and missed despite never having lived there nor do I feel like it is a place I am “from,” in any specific way. The feelings my hearthome draw out of me can mostly be best described as comfort, relief, safety, and rightness. There is something familiar about it, even upon my first playthrough. There is maybe even a tinge of nostalgia even though I strongly feel like there isn’t anything past-life-like at play as to why I have this hearthome. It just feels so familiar and comforting to me.

Starting out, my feelings also included what I can best describe as a yearning or longing to want to be there, even if only to visit. There was a desire to know a place like it with my own eyes as much as I knew it already in my heart somehow. So, there was a bit of almost homesickness there too. All these feelings are described in the past tense because of something that happened a bit after first playing the game.

Sometime after first playing ABZÛ, a sunken city with strong similarities to the one in the game was discovered in the ocean in our system’s innerworld. It is not a perfect exact copy, but it has all the same elements and looks how my hearthome appears through the lens of the noemata I have. I know I didn’t consciously will the location in our innerworld to come into existence, no one here can make such blatant conscious changes to our innerworld; however, I’m far less certain if my discovery of the game and the emotions it elicited didn’t cause the sunken city to appear in our innerworld as an involuntary reaction. (Not long after its appearance, several other areas in the game also found their way into the ocean of our system’s innerworld.) Since its appearance and discovery, I spend much of my time in these impacted areas, especially the sunken abandoned city. Since its appearance, the location has become a much beloved place to be, not just for me but also for many other aquatics in the system. The area is aesthetically pleasing and interesting to move around in. There is a lot of wildlife so hunting instincts can be indulged and so on. When not focused on fronting it is a nice place to exist in.

I’ve been aware of my emotional connection to the setting depicted in ABZÛ since July 2018 after playing it for the first time. Since buying it on Steam, I’ve logged many hours on it and have played through its entirety several times. However, I had not labeled my feelings towards this game as a hearthome until recently. Back then, I never questioned or analyzed my feelings surrounding the environments in the game. I knew it soothed something in me to play the game, going out to the sunken city in the innerworld for a while, or even just imagine myself swimming in one of my favorite areas, but I didn’t think about why exactly that was the case.

I didn’t make the connection between my experiences with ABZÛ to the term, hearthome until August of 2024. The moment of realization came while listening to the panel, “No Place Like Home: On Hearthomes” at Othercon 2024. Upon Rani, the panel’s host, describing the meaning of the term, I realized my feelings towards ABZÛ fit perfectly within the word. It wasn’t even a particularly jarring realization, and I am not sure how I had never made the connection before. Since that realization, I’ve come to label my feelings around the game, ABZÛ as my hearthome.

On the topic of alterhuman terms, I don’t use the term hearthic to refer to my state of having a hearthome at this time, solely because the word just doesn’t feel right when I try to use it in context. That could change, but for now, that is that.

I do consider my hearthome to be a part of my alterhumanity. My hearthome certainly fits neatly into my wider alterhumanity; ocean life and all that. That being said, I don’t think my hearthome has as strong of an impact on my daily experiences as other aspects do. My feelings around my hearthome are most often closer to something in the background more than anything. It is still there, and it is still important, it is just not as blatant and impactful in my daily life compared to something like my phantom body from my theriotypes. The fact parts of the game now exist in the innerworld and are prime locations for me to go after fronting to alleviate species dysphoria is perhaps the most blatant way my hearthome impacts my greater alterhumanity.

Bibliography

505 Games, ABZÛ. 505 Games, 2015, Microsoft Windows.

“Glossary,” Alt+H, https://alt-h.net/educate/glossary.php . Archived on 19 Apr 2020: https://web.archive.org/web/20200419100422/https://alt-h.net/educate/glossary.php

Lepidoptera Choir. “Hearthic” astrophellian on Tumblr. 9 April 2022. https://astrophellian.tumblr.com/post/681107250894503936/hearthic . Archived on 30 September 2022: https://web.archive.org/web/20220930143533/https://astrophellian.tumblr.com/post/681107250894503936/hearthic

Rani. “No Place Like Home: On Hearthomes,” Othercon 2024, 11 August 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYVF_R6v50Q

[torillatavataan]

Linux creator Linus Torvalds wrote:

"Ok, lots of Russian trolls out and about. It's entirely clear why the change was done, it's not getting reverted, and using multiple random anonymous accounts to try to "grass root" it by Russian troll factories isn't going to change anything. And FYI for the actual innocent bystanders who aren't troll farm accounts - the "various compliance requirements" are not just a US thing. If you haven't heard of Russian sanctions yet, you should try to read the news some day. And by "news", I don't mean Russian state-sponsored spam. As to sending me a revert patch - please use whatever mush you call brains. I'm Finnish. Did you think I'd be *supporting* Russian aggression? Apparently it's not just lack of real news, it's lack of history knowledge too."

What is Linux?

Linux is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds.

Linux was originally developed for personal computers based on the Intel x86 architecture, but has since been ported to more platforms than any other operating system. Because of the dominance of Linux-based Android on smartphones, Linux, including Android, has the largest installed base of all general-purpose operating systems as of May 2022.

Linux is the leading operating system on servers (over 96.4% of the top one million web servers' operating systems are Linux) leads other big iron systems such as mainframe computers, and is used on all of the world's 500 fastest supercomputers (as of November 2017, having gradually displaced all competitors).

Linux also runs on embedded systems, i.e., devices whose operating system is typically built into the firmware and is highly tailored to the system. This includes routers, automation controls, smart home devices, video game consoles, televisions (Samsung and LG smart TVs), automobiles (Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, and Toyota), and spacecraft (Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon crew capsule, and the Perseverance rover).

[fagcrisis]

this is a non issue and im not even a trekkie and that post is cute and i dont wanna start arguements BUT it bothers me so i have to say it

the reason crochet cant be done by machines is bc it involves types of loops and movements that with current technology we cant automate. if an android had perfect general artifical intellugence and hands capable of reproducing human motion entirely, even if that android wasnt sapient or had "personhood" it could easily crochet. so like data crocheting probably wouldnt really help him with the home humanity dilemma, in the star trek future there are probably crochet machines. its not a matter of intelligence but just like, complicated tools

BUT AGAIN ITS A CUTE POST IM NOT HATING IT JUST BOTHERS ME

[all-cf-me]

@armageddonfm [ john boyega, male, he/him ] Look who it is! If you take a look at our database, you'll see that T-081 "TOBY" is a SCAVENGER who works in SECTOR 1. According to the file, he's an ANDROID with ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. That must be why he's SCATTERED and UNPREDICTABLE. If you ask me, he reminds me of a radio flickering in and out of signal, the abrupt scratch and skip of a record, and the frantic whir of a lens working to keep in-focus. He is affiliated with NO ONE.

AT A GLANCE...

name: T-081

nickname: Toby

manufacture date: March 17 2060

sexuality: asexual

moral alignment: true neutral

mutation status: n/a

occupation: scavenger

place of work: sector one

languages: omnilingual

positive traits: helpful, excitable, friendly, capable, attentive, intelligent

negative traits: scattered, unreliable, unpredictable, dangerous, blunt

AN INTERVIEW...

how do they feel about living in sol city? have they always lived there or did they travel from another settlement?

he's thankful to live in a settlement where opportunities exist for humans and mutants alike, but the densely populated areas make him nervous and he tends to avoid them. he was manufactured in sector 7 before the meteor hit and has only ever ventured into the wastes

do they trust the council's leadership? why or why not?

he has his ideas about government, how successful settlements have historically been run, and which personalities are most suited for leadership. whether all of this amounts to a positive or negative opinion of the council… who can say?  he gives council people and other authority figures a wide berth, concerned that they'll have him collected and decommissioned

if they chose their sector and profession, why did they make that choice? if they didn't, why not? were they happy with their assignment or not?

he chose the scavenging profession so that he can search for his own parts and can retreat out into the open when things get sketchy. he likes it, though long stretches of isolation go against his programming

what's one object that they always keep on their person?

a multi-tool provided by his manufacturer for routine maintenance of any t-series unit. maintenance is possible without this tool but incredibly difficult 

what is your character's ability (or abilities)?

he's an android equipped with artificial intelligence, created to be a personal assistant for any variety of lifestyles 

are they gen i or gen ii?

he was manufactured before the meteor strike

what can your character do? what are their strengths?

Toby is the eighty-first of a series of multi-functional AI assistants, programmed with everything from emotional and academic support to personal and home defense ability to perform a wide variety of household tasks, academic tutoring and mathematical calculation, medical knowledge and treatment, can communicate in most languages, limited personal and home defense capabilities (including hand-to-hand and firearm combat)

what can't they do? what are their weaknesses?

delicate synapses that lead to different branches of his programming were fried in the meteor strike and switch out at random (also in particularly bad weather, after a physical impact, etc). there's no telling how long he'll be stuck in these modes or what he'll do in their duration. ex. attack or defense mode, stuck communicating in certain languages, overwhelming and autonomous urge to dust or solve mathematical equations he maintains his personality through these glitches, but his actions are completely automated until normalcy is restored one way or another

ABOUT TOBY...

T-081, his serial number, refers to Test Unit 81. the private company responsible for his creation was determined to create the world's first all-inclusive AI personal assistant, perfectly suited for any lifestyle. Toby was one of the final test units the company created, but the project was still unready for public use when the meteor hit. of course, after impact and the resulting chaos, the company switched gears immediately to disaster relief, and the few units that survived impact scattered and were forgotten. he considers himself on the run because he's certain he'll be decommissioned for his unpredictable behavior and glitches. he's made some headway in fixing his old parts and obtaining new ones from out in the wastes, but he's very "anxious" that he'll shut down before finding his purpose (spoiler alert: he doesn't have one. but that doesn't stop him from trying, does it?)

[digitaldetoxworld]

Building Your Own Operating System: A Beginner’s Guide

An operating system (OS) is an essential component of computer systems, serving as an interface between hardware and software. It manages system resources, provides services to users and applications, and ensures efficient execution of processes. Without an OS, users would have to manually manage hardware resources, making computing impractical for everyday use.

Lightweight operating system for old laptops

Functions of an Operating System

Operating systems perform several crucial functions to maintain system stability and usability. These functions include:

1. Process Management

 The OS allocates resources to processes and ensures fair execution while preventing conflicts. It employs algorithms like First-Come-First-Serve (FCFS), Round Robin, and Shortest Job Next (SJN) to optimize CPU utilization and maintain system responsiveness.

2. Memory Management

The OS tracks memory usage and prevents memory leaks by implementing techniques such as paging, segmentation, and virtual memory. These mechanisms enable multitasking and improve overall system performance.

3. File System Management

It provides mechanisms for reading, writing, and deleting files while maintaining security through permissions and access control. File systems such as NTFS, FAT32, and ext4 are widely used across different operating systems.

4. Device Management

 The OS provides device drivers to facilitate interaction with hardware components like printers, keyboards, and network adapters. It ensures smooth data exchange and resource allocation for input/output (I/O) operations.

5. Security and Access Control

 It enforces authentication, authorization, and encryption mechanisms to protect user data and system integrity. Modern OSs incorporate features like firewalls, anti-malware tools, and secure boot processes to prevent unauthorized access and cyber threats.

6. User Interface

 CLI-based systems, such as Linux terminals, provide direct access to system commands, while GUI-based systems, such as Windows and macOS, offer intuitive navigation through icons and menus.

Types of Operating Systems

Operating systems come in various forms, each designed to cater to specific computing needs. Some common types include:

1. Batch Operating System

These systems were widely used in early computing environments for tasks like payroll processing and scientific computations.

2. Multi-User Operating System

 It ensures fair resource allocation and prevents conflicts between users. Examples include UNIX and Windows Server.

3. Real-Time Operating System (RTOS)

RTOS is designed for time-sensitive applications, where processing must occur within strict deadlines. It is used in embedded systems, medical devices, and industrial automation. Examples include VxWorks and FreeRTOS.

4  Mobile Operating System

Mobile OSs are tailored for smartphones and tablets, offering touchscreen interfaces and app ecosystems. 

5  Distributed Operating System

Distributed OS manages multiple computers as a single system, enabling resource sharing and parallel processing. It is used in cloud computing and supercomputing environments. Examples include Google’s Fuchsia and Amoeba.

Popular Operating Systems

Several operating systems dominate the computing landscape, each catering to specific user needs and hardware platforms.

1. Microsoft Windows

 It is popular among home users, businesses, and gamers. Windows 10 and 11 are the latest versions, offering improved performance, security, and compatibility.

2. macOS

macOS is Apple’s proprietary OS designed for Mac computers. It provides a seamless experience with Apple hardware and software, featuring robust security and high-end multimedia capabilities.

3. Linux

Linux is an open-source OS favored by developers, system administrators, and security professionals. It offers various distributions, including Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian, each catering to different user preferences.

4. Android

It is based on the Linux kernel and supports a vast ecosystem of applications.

5. iOS

iOS is Apple’s mobile OS, known for its smooth performance, security, and exclusive app ecosystem. It powers iPhones and iPads, offering seamless integration with other Apple devices.

Future of Operating Systems

The future of operating systems is shaped by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and edge computing. Some key trends include:

1. AI-Driven OS Enhancements

AI-powered features, such as voice assistants and predictive automation, are becoming integral to modern OSs. AI helps optimize performance, enhance security, and personalize user experiences.

2. Cloud-Based Operating Systems

Cloud OSs enable users to access applications and data remotely. Chrome OS is an example of a cloud-centric OS that relies on internet connectivity for most functions.

3. Edge Computing Integration

With the rise of IoT devices, edge computing is gaining importance. Future OSs will focus on decentralized computing, reducing latency and improving real-time processing.

4. Increased Focus on Security

Cyber threats continue to evolve, prompting OS developers to implement advanced security measures such as zero-trust architectures, multi-factor authentication, and blockchain-based security.

[cyberlifeceo]

"So. How exactly do your Android production facilities function."

"I'm interested in investing in your company."

"First of all, thank you Senator for your consideration. And secondly all of our android manufacturing is done by automated assembly. The majority of our part product is done here in the US. And all quality control and testing are done by only our most qualified staff. Once testing and quality control is finished they are sent out to the public for sale or for distribution to companies that purchase in bulk for their work force. Depending on the job or needs of a home we offer a large variety of models from domestic house androids to military force androids."

[mayhemstories]

Prototype: Love - Chapter 5 "Count - 2.2"

check it out on ao3 here! // find chapter index here!

You'd think all of these large-scale, world-changing, revolution-related android cases would make the small ones stop coming in. Like all side characters would just behave out of respect for the ongoing main plot. You'd be wrong. part two: Already loved you on Tuesday //

words: 2,986 / chapters: 5/? / rating: mature

-- ☆ -- ☆ -- ☆ --

TUESDAY, 9th of November, 12:04 AM

The second you stepped foot into the apartment you felt the data pad in your bag explode with messages again. You turned around at Connor, who was right behind you, and who gave you a quick smile before turning his gaze down towards the apartment. His LED circled yellow as his eyes flickered across the rooms, taking in information.

You pretended not to hear the messages, choosing to ignore Connor’s automated analysis and investigate on your own instead.

The apartment was airy and well decorated. It wasn’t big by any means, a living room, a bedroom and a study - only bigger than your own home by one room. The carpet in the entryway showed signs of wear and the side table had a leg that was reinforced with duct tape. A faint food smell wafted through the air. The apartment was clearly well loved.

There were pictures on the walls to the left and right, showing the couple who lived here through the years.

“Oliver and Louise Blaird.”, Connor told you. “Ages 34 and 36. He works as a teacher for elementary school kids, she used to work as a representative for an insurance company, but got laid off several months ago. They both have a clean record. No pets, one car. He has family in Texas, she is from Belgium. They moved to Detroit together in 2026.”

You looked at the pictures. They showed the couple in all sorts of situations throughout the last ten years. There was one of them smiling in front of the Washington Monument in DC in what must’ve been the late to mid-twenties - they looked almost ten years younger compared to some of the more recent photographs. There were pictures of them at a sunny beach and pictures of them hiking in mountains, but also some more candid shots that were clearly taken right here in the couple’s home. One of them cozied up on a couch with a Christmas Tree behind them and a few of them smiling, surrounded by what must be family and friends.

The apartment was recently deep-cleaned and the shelves showed little gadgets that the couple must’ve picked up on their travels over the years, as well as a few well taken care of houseplants.

Art hung on the walls where pictures didn’t - nothing egregiously expensive, more like a labour of love, picked up on various flea markets over the years.

They seemed like a normal couple in an average Detroit apartment.

It made the red and blue splatters of blood on the kitchen floor even more harrowing in contrast.

You had arrived after the first responders, who were trying to calm down a crying woman on the couch. She was holding on to her husband’s left arm while his right arm was being tended to by paramedics.

“Hey, I’m a Detective with Detroit Police”, you introduced yourself. “These are my colleagues, Lieutenant Anderson and Connor. We’d like to have a look around and ask you a few questions, if that’s okay with you?”

The woman sobbed and nodded, using her free hand to wipe her tears away.

Her entire demeanour changed when her glance fell on Connor.

“An android? Why did you bring an android to our house?” Her voice trembled and her body drew back, like she was terrified of him.

“My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by CyberLife.”, he said, lowering his shoulders and displaying a small smile to seem less intimidating. It could be interpreted as nice - or as manipulative, depending who you asked. “I investigate cases of deviancy in androids. I understand that your recent experiences with androids have left you shaken and suspicious, but I assure you that I mean you no harm.”

The woman was still visibly tense, her lip shaking as she looked back and forth between the three strangers in her living room.

“Come on, Connor”, Hank said. “Let’s leave the detective to do their job and take a look around the kitchen.”

After a wordless exchange between the two men Connor nodded towards the couple curtly and turned around to walk to the kitchen.

You turned back to the woman, careful not to upset her further. You shouldn’t have worried - the second Connor left the room she relaxed, the tension leaving her shoulders. However, she still seemed shaken - her eyes were red from crying and her voice was hoarse when she said “Thank you for coming so quickly, Detective. My husband and I were so scared…”

Another sob broke from her lips and her husband carefully raised his free hand to her shoulder to comfort her.

“We’ve never experienced anything like this before,” he explained. “We didn’t know what to do or how to react.”

You eased onto the couch next to them and tried a calming smile. “Why don’t we take it from the top? Mr. and Mrs. Blaird, correct? Why don’t you tell me in your own words what happened?”

“Please, call me Oliver.”, the man said. “We don’t really know what happened. One moment it was smiling and warming up our lunch like everything was okay, and the next it tensed up and started blabbering about needing to leave.”

You retrieved the data pad from your bag and turned it on to take notes.

RK800 / 313 248 317 - 51 → WITNESS INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT DETECTIVE#81538. “Why don’t you tell me in your own words what happened?”

RK800 / 313 248 317 - 51 → WITNESS STATEMENT TRANSCRIPT OLIVER BLAIRD. “Please, call me Oliver.”

RK800 / 313 248 317 - 51 → WITNESS STATEMENT TRANSCRIPT OLIVER BLAIRD. “We don’t really know what happened.”

RK800 / 313 248 317 - 51 → WITNESS STATEMENT TRANSCRIPT OLIVER BLAIRD. “One moment it was smiling and warming up our lunch like everything was okay, and the next it tensed up and started blabbering about needing to leave.”

You looked over to the kitchen where Connor was currently analysing a broken bowl of soup that lay on the floor, successfully acting fully absorbed by the task at hand.

Like he wasn’t fully eavesdropping on your conversation.

Or ‘processing multiple complex tasks simultaneously’ as he’d probably call it.

Whatever. Less work for you.

You slid the data pad back into your bag, focusing on the conversation instead.

“By ‘it’ you mean the android, right? Can you tell me more about it?” you asked.

Oliver nodded. “We just bought it two days ago to help with the housework a little, you know? Louise wanted to focus on finding a new job, and we wanted to make it as easy as possible.”

Suddenly, he winced and the paramedic treating his arm quickly apologised. “I’m sorry, this might hurt a little. You’re almost done.”

“We would never have bought it after everything that went down yesterday.”, Louise explained, wiping tears from her face. “Everything you hear in the news sounds so scary, but we had already purchased it at that point and we didn’t want to bring it back in case nothing was wrong.”

Her voice was trembling again. You pulled a pack of tissues from your bag and handed it to her with a facial expression that you hoped looked comforting.

“Did the android seem fine to you when you purchased it? No issues with behaviour or weird glitches?”, you asked.

“Well, it was second hand,” Oliver replied. “You never know with second hand devices, but when we picked it up yesterday morning we were assured that it had been fully reset and wiped and was good as new.”

“And it was!”, his wife confirmed. “It smiled and cleaned and cooked happily all day yesterday and all morning today until suddenly it froze when warming up our lunch. Then it just went crazy!”

You tried to process what she said. This didn’t entirely add up with the previous cases of deviancy - there were often patterns of repeated abuse or strong emotional shock that led to androids deviating from their code. A quasi-brand new model deviating after just less than 48 hours of being active? That was unheard of.

“And you didn’t notice anything weird about it before?”, you asked.

Louise shook her head then paused thoughtfully.

“Well… now that you mention it…” she said. “It did freeze like that before. Twice actually. I took it grocery shopping yesterday, so I can have somebody to carry the bags? It froze right in front of the ice cream aisle, like it was buffering. Then again on the way home, while we were walking past a playground.”

Bingo. That wasn’t normal android behaviour.

“Can you tell me more about that?”, you asked.

“Why? Do you think that’s important, Officer?” she asked inquisitively.

Detective, you corrected her silently, but didn’t bother saying it out loud.

“Maybe.”, you replied. “I need to know more about it.”

“Well, it kind of scrunched up its face like this”, she demonstrated. “Like it was trying to remember something but it couldn’t. Then it just unfroze and moved on like nothing happened. When I asked about that, it didn’t know what I was talking about. I figured it was just an old model and it was a bit slow sometimes.”

“Okay”, you nodded, theories slowly forming in your head. “And when that happened again today, it went crazy after unfreezing, you said? Can you explain what you mean by that?“

Louise nodded slowly and glanced at her husband for help. Oliver was busy watching the paramedic finish up his bandages.

“It unfroze and looked around in shock”, she began to explain. “I don’t know how to describe the look in its eyes other than panicked. Like it was looking for someone who it worried was dead.”

“Tell them about the rambling, darling”, her husband interceded.

“I’m getting to it”, she replied. “Then it started saying the craziest things. It was looking for somebody, and that we needed to help it. That it needed to leave and that somebody was in danger. What was that name it mentioned?”

“Lucas”, Oliver said. “It said it was looking for Lucas. Kept saying that name over and over again. Always ‘Lucas. I need to get to Lucas.’”

The paramedic who had been treating Oliver’s arm got up and took a step back. “You’re good to go, Mr. Blaird”, she said to him. “All patched up. Most of the damage was very superficial, but it’ll still take a couple weeks to heal.” She offered a smile to the Blairds and a wave to you, then left.

“I mean, that’s crazy right?” Louise said to you, getting back to the topic. “We don’t even know a Lucas so I don’t know where it could’ve gotten that name from!”

“What happened then?”, you asked. “How did you get that injury?”

“It tried to leave”, Oliver explained. “So I grabbed it by the arm. That was fine, right? I mean it’s still my android! It took the soup bowl it was still holding in its other hand and smashed it against my arm at full force. The bowl smashed on impact.”

He gestured towards his right side, which was indeed covered in what looked like Minestrone mixed with blood - both red and blue.

“I think it cut its own hand, too.” he added. “That’s where the blue blood came from.”

“And I suppose it ran away after that?” you concluded.

Louise nodded. “We weren't paying close attention to it after it attacked, you’ll understand”, she said. “But I heard the door close with a bang. That’s when we called the police.”

You thanked them for their help and promised to get back to them if the case progressed.

Then you got up and walked over to Connor, who was still in the kitchen.

“The witnesses’ story lines up with the evidence in the kitchen.” he said, getting up to look at you.

“You were listening in?” you asked with a laugh, careful to be quiet enough so the couple couldn’t hear you.

“Yes,” he said matter-of-factly. “You already knew this. You realised it when you looked at the data pad during the witness interview.”

You just raised an eyebrow.

“Is everything alright, Detective?”, he asked.

“Yeah”, you replied. “I’m just not… used to working with someone who pays such close attention.”

He tilted his head, his LED flickering yellow at your statement. “I have noticed a similar sentiment from Lieutenant Anderson. I must admit, I struggle to understand it. Can you explain to me what exactly bothers you about my attentiveness?”

“I’m not exactly bothered, it’s just…”, you attempted to explain, interrupted by Hank who walked into the kitchen with a stack of papers. He threw them on the counter, and you saw a bill from a store called Android Zone as well as an order confirmation and a payment confirmation.

“Date says the couple bought an LM100 at the Android Zone second-hand store two days ago and picked him up yesterday morning,” he said. “I assume that’s our suspect?”

“That fits with the couple’s description of events,” you confirmed.

“It also fits my analysis of the blue blood on the ground as belonging to an LM100.”, Connor added. “As well as the size and shape of an android necessary to injure Mr. Blaird in this specific way.”

“Oh god, Connor, don’t tell me you licked the crime scene again!” Hank groaned and you looked at Connor disgusted and fascinated at the same time.

He licks evidence to analyse it? It made sense to fit him with sensors that allow him to analyse evidence on-scene but you couldn’t help your stomach from turning at the particular placement.

“I have explained to you before that I am simply performing an analysis, Lieutenant.” Connor said, his voice laced with hints of annoyance. “I am not human and cannot contract disease through my oral cavity. I am also equipped with a self-cleaning feature that allows me to sanitise between analyses. I am entirely hygienic.”

“Good job, Connor, now I’ve lost my appetite”, Hank retorted. “If you say ‘oral cavity’ again, I might lose it for the entire week!”

“I will not repeat myself then. We wouldn’t want you to starve, Lieutenant.”

“Stop bickering, boys”, you interrupted, unsure if they were actually fighting, or if this was their weird way of being affectionate. Neither of them seemed hostile with each other, but they weren’t exactly helping progress the case either way. “Let’s focus on work for now, okay?”

“Agreed.”, Connor took a step towards the counter and looked at the papers Hank had thrown there, suddenly standing very close to you. Had it been anyone else, you probably would’ve found it uncomfortable and taken a step back. With him, you strangely didn’t mind.

“The LM100 does not come with a GPS module.” Connor said thoughtfully. “Injured and unable to get its bearings, it might not have gone very far.”

“Counterpoint: It was clearly looking for someone.”, you argued. “It probably would’ve run very far trying to find whoever it is it was looking for.”

“What did I miss?”, Hank asked. “How did your witness interview go?”

“You can read it all in the case file,” you replied. “But the short version is that the android was completely fine all day, until it suddenly panicked, said it was looking for someone named ‘Lucas’, attacked Mr. Blaird and ran away.”

“You put the whole thing in the case file?”, Hank asked, ignoring your explanation entirely. “Damn kid, way to be an overachiever.”

You laughed. “As much as I would love to take credit, no, I didn’t. Connor transcribed the conversation while pretending to inspect the kitchen.”

“I wasn’t pretending, Detective.” Connor told you. “I was transcribing the conversation while inspecting the kitchen. I am capable of processing multiple complex tasks simultaneously.”

You tried hard not to grin. Really hard. You failed.

What was it that you had expected him to call eavesdropping earlier?

“Should’ve guessed that you’re the overachiever, Connor.”, the Lieutenant said. “Do you also have a clever idea for how to find our runaway?”

Connor’s LED circled yellow. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again and looked back and forth between Hank and you, like he was wondering if he was the butt of some joke that he didn’t understand.

You had never seen him think this hard before.

“I do, actually.” he said eventually, straightening up again and regaining a more neutral facial expression. “The cuts the android sustained were not major, but they were not trivial either. It would have continued to bleed for quite some time. If it did not go far, then that trace of thirium might lead us to it.”

“And if it did run far, then we’ll at least know the vague direction”, you concluded.

“Correct.”, Connor agreed. “Although my thorough analysis of the android’s presumed mental and physical state indicates that it did not get far, in the event that you are correct in assuming it ran away, Detective, we will at least know the vague direction.”

“I like my odds.” you smiled confidently.

“You currently have an eleven percent chance of being correct,” Connor said.

“I… still like my odds.” you said, less confidently this time. “Eleven percent is still more than ten percent.”

“Oh, what the hell”, Hank said. “Are you two done? Let’s get out of here.”

He left the room, and you followed, Connor right behind you.

“Eleven percent is more than ten percent, is a terrible way to go about gambling, Detective.”, you heard Connor say on your way out of the apartment, just quietly enough so Hank couldn’t hear him.

“All I hear is that you’re willing to bet.”, you whispered back.

“I am an android and as such I am not permitted to gamble. Were I permitted to gamble, I would almost certainly have an unfair advantage given my extensive preconstructive abilities and my state-of-the-art statistical evaluation features.”

“You’re on.”

-- ☆ -- ☆ -- ☆ --

author's note: ♡

previous chapter // next chapter ->

[joviantwelve]

What are “current” androids like in XYZoul, out of curiosity? I noticed that Carmichael was a bit out of date around the time the story starts, so I wonder what newer models are like. Are there any aesthetic differences, things of that sort?

(Totally not rotating the idea of my own robobutler in this setting, if that’s okay of course)

fun question! I'm using them as a device to comment on where I feel modern tech is going, so the "rapid evolution of the tech" early adoption period is over in present canon. base system capabilities are still similar as they were from years back. the AI they come equipped with still learns things at similar paces, still has similar conversational functionality, etc, but since this is also satire, the newer ones also have more bloatware, harder to hack walled garden-style OSes, subscription-based update cycles, harder to open/repair, or internet-connected spying features no one asked for. LMAO

other improvements would be more or less what you expect from the endless forward march of technology, like faster connection speed, more storage, wider customization options, more fluid/realistic movements and responses to terrain, larger batteries and more convenient ways to charge them, etc.

the notable thing for Carmichael specifically is that he still has a mostly "mechanical"-looking body with joints and such. the only places with synthetic skin are his neck/face, hence why he's fully clothed. it was a cost-cutting measure in-universe, so that sort of tech is more feasible now.

I really like to think of "sentient robotic life" as being similar to computers, so that's the angle I take. so for Carmichael, he came from a small forward-thinking manufacturer that since went out of business, so he'd be like. the kind of computer you hear about 20 years after it was discontinued as like an Interesting Tech Oddity that's only really appreciated by Hobbyists nowadays. dshjkfhsdf

Carmichael's manufacturer had an emphasis on human form before it became more feasible in-universe, so at the time of purchase he was seen as fancy but also expensive, form over function, a bit costly in comparison to what you got features-wise but Ivanna wanted a funny little butler bot SO HEY! in that sense she got everything she wanted.

note about "butler bot"--manufacturers also vary on what purposes they create their androids for. some of them are generalist/hobbyist focused but others come equipped with software and hardware for specific industries, usually service. Carmichael's function is "personal assistant" at the base, and he's technically more like a valet or a concierge, but yknow. it's the post-apocalypse 2100s no one knows what an early 1900s butler is like anymore nor do they care. it's all in the presentation.

aesthetics would be down to the manufacturer and the buyer's preferences--since they're a very expensive consumer product, most of them are customizable and built to order. if you just wanted an in-home robot helper, or a robot to help with industry automation, there are capital-R Robots for that, streamlined for those purposes and thus not human at all. androids don't get made for hard labor because it's a waste of resources; they're specifically to replace humans in human-facing jobs, or to be Rich People's Personal Assistants. customization is more or less the highlight, and I imagine the manufacturer's suite of available styles factors into a prospective buyer's decision. there are some that look fully human, but others still that play up a robot look deliberately, with no synthetic skin at all. please, imagine with me a gamer LEDs-style android. thank you.

as for your parenthetical, I certainly don't hold any copyright over the concept of androids, or butlers, or android butlers. if the character's design and story context are different beyond those two factors, then there are no toes stepped on 👍

[hoarder-of-dragons]

Being a Comp Sci student, and vehemently hating every essay and/or presentation I make and see in my class.

We had group presentations today and some group was presenting on the topic of "Future of Robots" or whatever (busy panicking on my own presentation) and one of the points was to have the elderly in nursing homes have robot pets...and like robot chess players..

NO

I understand that people in nursing homes and other of those facilites are lonely and and tired buT PLEASE DON'T REPLACE THEIR ONLY INTERACTIONS WITH AI ROBOTS!! THAT'S NOT A VERY COMFORTING THOUGHT!!

No I don't want a automated chess player or a robot dog to take care of when I grow old because I'm too old to take care of them. Fucking encourage volunteers in these homes. Visit your grandparents. Don't fucking make AI robots to limit more human interactions. I will punch the robots and androids with my fucking weak ass fists than spend one second looking at that mess

[roseliejack123]

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