[Video] Designated Robo Babysitter TAKIN CHARGE

[forgetbeam]

[Ishimaru sure has had a lot going on for him lately, it's probably time to address the network and sort out his personal feelings, open up and connect with people, and-- YEAH no, it's straight to business as soon as the feed turns on. That's what the network is for, right?

At least technically this is more personal business than usual.]

...I have a request for the women here, students and faculty alike.

My co-hall monitor, Vivian, has been carelessly abandoned by her caretaker. Something like that is bad enough on its own, but it seems she was not taught anything about taking care of herself! So I will need at least one volunteer to assist with washing and grooming her! As I am her partner, I am taking most of the responsibility for her, of course. There are many things I will be able to take care of, but something like that... is far from being one of them...

[For reasons he hopes would be obvious, but then again, this school...]

It is not enough to simply do these things for her! She must be taught how to do them on her own! Everyone, let us do what we can to help set Vivian on the path to independence!

[He looks like he wants to add something else for a moment, but... nah. END VIDEO.]

Comments

[forgetbeam]

[Sophisticated like drinking tea and wearing frills or something? (Look, a few months ago, Ishimaru's understanding of computers amounted to "HOW DO I TALK TO IT" so...)]

I see... Still, I do not think it's any excuse for this!

[trustycrowbar]

Actually it might. She honestly may not have known any better. But it's a good thing that you're looking for a flesh-and-blood caretaker for Vivian now. She may be able to teach her things that were beyond GLaDOS' ken.

[forgetbeam]

...So, do you think that it would have been impossible for Ms. GLaDOS to learn what her responsibilities should have been?

[While he's still miffed about that, it does have some bad implications for how trying to teach Vivian to be human might go.]

[trustycrowbar]

I think the parental impulse was a little beyond her, yeah. I'm not saying it was a complete impossibility, empirically she could comprehend the need to keep Vivian in good shape, but in the end a computer like GLaDOS isn't going to coddle something that in the end she views as replaceable.

[forgetbeam]

[Replaceable. What a sickening thought. That's the difference between human beings and machines, isn't it?]

In that case, it is definitely for the best that she left Vivian after all! If her staying longer meant that she could have just replaced her...

You know a lot more about technology than I do. What is the best way to ensure that Vivian will eventually be able to live as a human being?

[trustycrowbar]

[He kind of... halts in mid-coffee slurp. See icon.]

...You know what she's a defense turret, right? The girl's basic programming involves finding things that move, and pumping them full of bullets until they don't move anymore. That's her first impulse, and she will always return to it if she has nothing else to go on. I tried to help keep GLaDOS in line with the threat of taking Vivian apart, and I'm not afraid to say that if I had a choice she'd be decommissioned immediately now that GLaDOS is gone.

[It sounds cruel, but he and military sentry turrets have a long, bloody, painful, hate-filled history.]

But if you're really serious about getting her to learn beyond it, you'll need to give her a new and specific purpose. Preferably one that keeps her as far away from munitions as possible.

[forgetbeam]

[Shadow had called her a turret before, but he wasn't sure just what that was. Now that it's been explained, it sure does explain a lot. Not that her trigger-happy nature was any secret to Ishimaru, but if that had been her sole purpose before, no wonder it's been so hard to convince her to stop.

He won't let her be dismantled, no matter what.

STILL... Wow, this got heavy.]

I can assign tasks to her, but to choose her entire life's purpose...! Something like that can't be so easily determined!

[trustycrowbar]

You don't have to choose her life's purpose for her. If she's able to learn, then all you have to do is give her those tasks and in time she SHOULD find one on her own.

[He just hopes he doesn't have to deal with her shooting anyone up before then.]

[forgetbeam]

...

Right. I understand.

I'll do my best to guide her until she can choose her own fate!

[trustycrowbar]

[Yeah yeah yeah ORE WA ICHIBAN DA and all that. Still, at least he knows this kid will do everything in his power to help that girl... turret. Thing, gets what she needs to succeed in this.]

That's good to know, Ishimaru.