[ He means that as a compliment, and there isn't much teasing in his voice, though there is a kind of vague, distant amusement as he studies his expression, watches his response. Maybe torture isn't as obvious of an answer as he thinks it is, really -- it's hard for him to judge what a normal person might think, anymore. ]
Torture. [ Just repeating, by way of confirmation. He isn't looking away, but there's a different look in his eyes. Even more distant, now, and carefully practiced. He looks more like he's looking through Byerly, than at him. ] The original AI -- the Alpha AI -- fragmented itself in response, to try and maintain it's own sanity, to try and survive, and each fragment was harvested and used. Full little personalities of their own, aspects of the original personality.
There was Delta, for example. Logic, for when the Alpha needed to stop understanding and analyzing what was happening to it. Theta, which was trust. That one's a little more self explanatory. Fear, Anger, Ambition . . .
no subject
[ He means that as a compliment, and there isn't much teasing in his voice, though there is a kind of vague, distant amusement as he studies his expression, watches his response. Maybe torture isn't as obvious of an answer as he thinks it is, really -- it's hard for him to judge what a normal person might think, anymore. ]
Torture. [ Just repeating, by way of confirmation. He isn't looking away, but there's a different look in his eyes. Even more distant, now, and carefully practiced. He looks more like he's looking through Byerly, than at him. ] The original AI -- the Alpha AI -- fragmented itself in response, to try and maintain it's own sanity, to try and survive, and each fragment was harvested and used. Full little personalities of their own, aspects of the original personality.
There was Delta, for example. Logic, for when the Alpha needed to stop understanding and analyzing what was happening to it. Theta, which was trust. That one's a little more self explanatory. Fear, Anger, Ambition . . .
[ He trails off slightly. His eyes flick down. ]