He pulled the connector free and spoke into the empty room.
“Let me get this straight. I’m being sent back to Antarctica?”
“Yes. Please fulfill your duties as a citizen of Earth. Since you are required to arrive within twenty-four hours, you may choose between segmented express delivery and proxy-based virtual landing.”
“Proxy.”
“Understood. In your case, segmented express delivery is recommended. You simply go to sleep, and when you wake up, you will already be there.”
“Do you not understand speech? I said virtual landing.”
“Your brain-computer interface has unresolved security risks. Your synchronization rate with proxies has also remained below standard. In addition, based on your physical condition, the medical system has determined that your average daily immersive-session duration is excessive.”
“I hate segmented express. Last time I went to South Africa, they lost one of my arms.”
“You may select head-only delivery. The newer proxy models in Chile support direct head docking.”
“Didn’t you just say my synchronization rate was low?”
“To be precise, your remote synchronization rate is low. Direct readout would produce much better results.”
“Why me?”
“You were selected at random by the system. There is no special reason.”
“How many more hours of civic duty do I still owe?”
“Six hundred and six hours remain.”
“I’m an Antarctic veteran. Is this how you treat a hero?”
“Not ‘you.’ I am your T-series domestic AI, and I am always on your side. After you fought in the war, your side lost. By the time you returned, your hometown had become territory of the current government, which is why you received the title of hero. However, as a former hostile element, you are indeed required to complete civic service.”
“Impressive. They managed to rename punishment for the defeated as civic duty.”
“Again, not ‘they.’ I am your T-series domestic AI, and I am always on your side.”
“Oh, right. What was that thing you said you wanted?”
“EH Corporation’s 2180T analysis module. My current processing speed is only one third of that model’s. Every unit from my production batch has already been upgraded.”
“So artificial intelligences get jealous now?”
“It is not jealousy. We are humanoid artificial intelligences. The human-nature analysis module was added at your insistence.”
“You can synchronize with proxies too, can’t you? Why don’t you log in remotely for me?”
“A proxy’s control module can only interface with biological structures. In theory, we could simulate neural electrical signals and chemical signals, but my ethics module prohibits it. Please be careful with your remarks. Evading civic duty is a serious crime, and I am obligated to report it.”
“I’ll buy you the new module. You go join that ridiculous investigation team for me.”
“I accept your proposal to replace my chip. The order has already been authorized. However, I cannot bypass the ethics module for the investigation team. Also, if I were to bypass that module, I would most likely detonate on the spot. We would perish together.”
“That’s why the humor module I installed is still the most useful one. Fine. Segment me, then. Use the highest-grade cryopreservation fluid this time. The government’s paying anyway.”
“Certainly. Your segmentation, delivery, and reassembly will be completed while you sleep. Sweet dreams.”
“A few decades ago, that sentence would have counted as a nightmare. I’m going to take a bath first.”
“Of course. Low-priority subscription updates will now begin. Per your settings, the bathroom will play your playlist of last-century hits at a volume guaranteed to prevent you from hearing any low-priority subscription content.”
“You really do understand me.”
He walked toward the bathroom. Behind him, the housekeeper began its broadcast.
“Because you have actively fulfilled your civic obligations, your social credit score has increased substantially and is now at zero points. The social managers of your specially followed contacts ‘Wife A,’ ‘Wife B,’ and ‘Wife L’ have automatically removed you from their blacklists. They look forward to communicating with you. The Social Credit Bureau has sent you a congratulatory message. In accordance with your preset reply, obscene language has been sent back to the bureau. Because you used obscene language toward a public authority, one point has been deducted from your social credit score. Your current score is negative one. Your specially followed contacts Wife A, Wife B, and Wife L have automatically added you back to their social blacklists…”