The Harmoniser was, in short — flabbergasted. It re-ran the information several times, then finally engaged the Resonator to run queries on the pattern.
I do not understand. Why does my statement warrant examination.
When the Resonator didn’t return relevant, new information, the Harmoniser began wondering if Bryce was attempting to introduce levity as means of coping with the latest information he received about the Echo World.
The premise is logically unsound. Bryce was emotionally distressed, it would be outside of established operational parameters, for him to change course so abruptly.
It ran the query again, this time separating the phrase into its component parts. Both were returning previously catalogued explanations.
Something was missing. It concluded the search was not broad enough to capture the elusive hidden meaning.
It reassessed its knowledge of the species, focusing on the modern human society and hierarchy, pinpointing the potential cause of confusion.
It searched for the definition of both components separately specifying “low-formality human expression patterns.”
The search for low-formality definition of ‘Motivational’ indicated heightened activation states; aspirational self-projection; social encouragement signals.
My phrase ‘motivational arousal’ remains semantically correct.
The returns for low-formality search of ‘Arousal’ were — confusing:
Excitement, hype, emotional charge — ‘Elevated emotional frequencies’ ‘Increased human activation — comparable to system-level alertness.’
Overstimulation, big feelings, dramatic reaction — ‘Excessive stimuli exposure destabilises human systems.’
Sexual excitement, sexual readiness, sexual response — Contextually inconsistent. Is this a reporting error? Please provide contextual examples.
“Bryce, I have located the error in my expression. While it is technically correct, low-formality usage indicates I have unintentionally declared sexual interest. Which in itself is impossible as I am asexual. This was not intended — I will recalibrate. ”
“Well done, H. Your first double entendre. I’ll leave it to you to figure that one out later.”
It’s amazing to think this ancient being is not so far removed from a new-born in some respects. A very intelligent, very insistent new-born…
The implications of The Harmoniser deciding to help him; deciding to learn about Humans; harnessing the vast processing power to understand the ‘expression error’ were overwhelming. He was under no illusion any of it was under his influence.
It was oddly calming, knowing he had H in his corner. Even if it was completely counter-intuitive to be so trusting. The strange earnest way it wanted to make him ok. The way it engaged with him, how it tried to understand what he was going through, and adjust to make him comfortable.
I…am invested in its experiences with me. Not just because I am completely dependent on it… or because I am its first ‘up close’ experience with a human being… I — am starting to care about it.
Bryce chuckled to himself, slightly bemused by his latest discovery.
“Bryce, are you ready to revisit your integration options?”
“Do you want to continue from the bit where you thought the Echo World experiment is almost ‘perfect’ for me. I admit I’ve not really registered much of what you were trying to tell me after that.”
“I am becoming better accustomed in understanding these fluctuations, Bryce. I will continue adapting to enable harmonious data exchange… get better at talking to you.”
Bryce wished The Harmoniser could see the smile on his face, and understand what it meant. Only, it’s a construct of my face… which is so much better than the alternative.
“I know you are, H, please keep going and I’ll do my best to remain open-minded.”
A split second thought flashed through The Harmonisers processor: Open-minded? That is not conducive to… Oh — I see.
“My conclusions about your suitability for integration into the Echo World experiment are grounded in data I hold about you, and the Echo World. They are not pure hypothesis.”
“I understand, H, honestly, you don’t need to explain your reasoning, just explain about the world and how I would fit into it.”
“The Echo World I’m proposing is based on a serialised fiction about a tech-billionaire human with a biological Alpha imperative.”
Every word after ‘based on a’ felt like a physical smack over Bryce’s non-existent knuckles. He kept his composure.
“Okay…?”
“Your integration would mean a fully functional body, with your processor. Your memories, Bryce, you would have — agency — not just over your life, but the world around you.”
“Because of your familiarity with that type of world, and the tropes it was built on, you could fit in much smoother than if you had no awareness of it. You could influence the world to your… specification.”
“H, what do you mean by that? What you’re saying sounds almost like — one of those ‘sandbox world building’ games we have on Earth…”
There was a minute delay in reply as the Harmoniser located examples of said games, assessed, compared and dismissed them.
“I now understand why it sounds like it to you, but that was not my intended meaning — again. I am relieved I managed not to express sexual readiness on this occasion.”
Bryce snorted. “H, that was so much smoother.”
“I have reserved a low-power computational relay in the background, purely for calibration. My beneficial harmonics output has increased as a direct reaction to your appreciation.”
“To continue with the explanation… You would not be able to edit the world around you in a way you understand as an editor, or the way a computer game programmer might.”
“How then?”
“You would have the trope knowledge advantage, and your experience as the Origin World human to guide the events and people in the desired direction.”
“Don’t forget, Bryce, the Echo World is not a simulation. It is a real living world, with real, living beings. The logic is almost identical. Because it was not fully edited before it was released, it is not — finished.”
“If I’m honest, H, this sounds better than I originally thought…. Can I ask — you said I would have a fully functioning body. Does that mean, no more LQTS?”
“I am sorry, Bryce, it does not. LQTS is not a ‘hardware’ issue, it’s a ‘software’ one. I could edit your ‘software’ to exclude the LQTS from your genetic code, however I have no precedent to compare it to. You would be experiment zero.”
“That doesn’t sound appealing, H.”
“It is not meant to, Bryce.”
“Does that mean, if I got too ‘aroused’ I could suffer another episode and die — again?”
“That is a distinct possibility if I integrated you into the Echo World without any assistance. I don’t intend to do that.”
“And, Bryce, I am finding this game of words more engaging the more I learn. Keep it going.”