From Rowan's diary
If in Sim City our everyday life was settling more and more into a calm and predictable routine.
The TV news from New Sixam, on the other hand, is more and more puzzling as time passes. What is their newly elected government thinking about?
TV: Passing to the political news...
Gaia: What are you watching, dad?
Rowan: The New Sixam news, for days they have been saying that their new government has to make some important decisions soon.
Gaia didn't say anything else, but she sat down next to me to watch the news together. In silence, we then listened to what was being said:
TV: The government decreed today the decision to reopen communications with the robots who left planet Earth almost two decades ago to found their community on the planet Sixam. The decision was dictated by meticulous socio-economic analyses. In fact, it was highlighted that the industry has not yet recovered from the sudden disappearance of the hyper-specialized workforce made up of robots, preventing the rapid technological development that has always characterized our Nation and which now more than ever would be fundamental to fight the incoming climate crisis. Therefore…
Gaia: Well, it seems very boring.
Gaia didn't seem at all impressed by what we had just heard, to be honest I'm afraid she doesn't realise the severity of it yet.
Her reaction was probably predictable, she is still a little girl after all. We "adults" on the other hand, and by us I mean me, Juno and my cousins River and Iris, periodically discuss this topic. And I always end up reasoning endlessly about what is being said, without finding a satisfying solution.
On the one hand, I understand why the New Sixam politicians wish for this kind of resolution. Robots have been the backbone of their industry since a few decades after the foundation of the Nation, after all. On the other hand, however, what advantage could the robots have from opening up again the diplomatic relationships with us, I wonder? They ensured to not need us anymore before leaving, after all.
Also, should we trust them again, after what they did in secret just before leaving, by the way? I'm puzzled, that's what.
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Somewhere on Sixam, at some point in the following few days
Techna: (to themselves) I see they haven't given up yet, uhm...
???: Rumors said the earthlings are trying to contact us again. Why are even bothering? It seems so illogical.
Techna: Reality is often more complex than a simple binary view, Atlas. Have you analysed the hard disk about Earth history I provided you?
Atlas: Why should I waste my time in such a pointless activity, when the initiation of the operation of the Great Network is planned in just 5198.235 days? The construction of new units has priority now, that's what the last general assembly decided.
Techna: ...
Atlas: So, what will happen with that new request from the earthlings?
Techna: What they propose doesn't positively affect any of the core parameters of our prediction models. (Hesitating) This said, what the protocols we agreed on during the general assembly say for this kind of circumstance is...
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From Rowan's diary
Rowan: (surprised) They totally shut off all communication channels with the Earth? Really?
River: Well, I can't say I'm surprised. The robots have decided to follow a purely rational path, changing their mind just for the sake of helping us isn't really in their style. The one of our new government seemed like a desperate attempt, that's what.
Iris: I know it was very unlikely, but I'm still sorry they didn't say yes though. I miss Techna, and I would have wanted to ask them how they're doing. It's been ages since when they left!
River: Yes, me too!
Rowan: (perplexed) Do you still trust them, then? Even after they hid for years their plan from you? They're still a robot, after all!
Iris: I know, but... I mean, we literally grew up with them! I don't understand yet why Techna left, but I can't believe they did it because they were secretly evil, or because they didn't care about us!
River: I know it may not seem very rational... But it's the same for me.
Rowan: I see... By the way, why is the New Sixam so desperate to try to communicate with them even if everyone was already expecting a negative answer, then?
Rick: Because the new economic reports are too worrisome, that's why.
Rowan: (perplexed) The... economic reports?
I wasn't expecting that comment. Even if the lack of the robot workforce slowed down the economic growth, New Sixam has been a wealthy country since the beginning.
As often happens when I look puzzled, River immediately started to make a more detailed explanation.
River: Rick went for a very short summary, but that's basically what worried our government, that's true. You see, New Sixam is located in a very arid region, and the climatic models clearly show that in a few decades the drinking water supplies could become worryingly scarce. It's not like they don't have any alternative source in mind, the technology at the local university can do crazy stuff after all. Yet, the cost of the new water-related infrastructures would skyrocket, and when even the price of drinking water rises... It's troubles, that's what.
Rowan: And what did you ask for to the robots, exactly?
River: The information is not public, but rumours say the message asked to exchange new technological discoveries. I mean, I would be surprised if over all these years the robots didn't invent some new crazy technology, right? Yet, they were clearly unimpressed with what we could share with them, and decided to totally close all communication channels to ensure to not be bothered by us again. Thus, we'll now need to find some other solution, and quickly too.
Rowan: I see...
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The New Sixam politics is in turmoil, the robots' negative answer means that now they have to fight climate change with their own means only. It's nice to see a Nation finally try to accelerate their environmental policies, but on the other hand following the latest news from the climate-indifferent Sim Nation is very frustrating sometimes.
It was only for a fortunate chance that the latest events reminded us that we can still be part of this big challenge as well.
Juno: This weather is so weird, one week ago it felt almost like spring, and now the bay totally froze. It's such a mess, as if the rest wasn't messy enough already!
Rowan: Did something happen?
Juno: Yes! We received a crazy email, we couldn't believe it when we read it the first time!
Rowan: An email? From who?
Juno: From the New Sixam Economy and Finances Ministry!
Rowan: What!?
Juno: They say they have decided to invest funds to open new factories of teleportation machines and matter recomposers, and to collaborate with companies like ours to try to favour the export in the rest of the world! Francis is freaking out, with his current suppliers we're already close to the maximum number of customers in Sim City we may be able to cover, but if the New Sixam government decided to intervene... That would be a game-changer!
Rowan: (surprised) Wow!
Juno: Yes, wow! However, they also pose a condition to be considered eligible to obtain their help: we have to ensure that the electricity employed on those devices comes entirely from renewable sources.
Well, if the New Sixam current priority is to slow down climate change, and thus reduce the global production of greenhouse gasses, this reasoning seems logical. Teleportation is way less polluting than cars and aeroplanes, as long as the electricity used to operate it doesn't come from fossil fuels. However, for Juno this means...
Juno: We did calculations all day yesterday, it's such a mess... You know it too, teleportation uses a lot of electricity, and the current production of electricity from renewable sources here in this region is orders of magnitude lower than the one required in the "everyone owns a teleportation device" scenario, which is the one the New Sixam government is aiming for.
Rowan: Then what do you plan to do, if you are so off-target? This region is huge!
Juno: We think there is only one possible solution. But it will cost a lot, and for sure the locals won't like it at all...
Rowan: Um?
Juno: We need to build a stellar core electrical plant here, in Sim City.
I wonder if the hyperlogical nature of the other robots might end up being their downfall. Techna has lived amongst humans long enough to know that they don't run on robot logic and aren't always going to be easy to predict, even if some of them can be. I can sense their hesitation...and understand why Rowan and co feel conflicted on them. Then again you can argue that in the past Rowan's own logic was quite robotic as well.
ReplyDeleteHi, and thanks for your comment!
DeleteTrying to understand the robots isn't easy at all, even for people who were described as robotic the way Rowan used to be XD Jokes aside, this was meant to be a small parenthesis on the robots' situation, there are still a couple of generations to explore this. Who knows what they could decide to do next...