Chapter 7: Souls and Reasons

Characters:

Fei(formely known as Mai) - Our genderbending protagonist.

Ai (real name Miki) - Mai's best friend and love interest.

Firgin - Human boy companion.

Mlei - Human girl companion.

T-PGCR 01 - One of the twelve world terraform robots.

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Ai pulled me aside to a secluded area of the ancient spaceship, her face drawn with worry. The soft hum of machinery buzzed around us, a reminder that this place was still alive, still functioning after centuries of abandonment. Her expression was tense, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and concern. "Fei," she began, voice low, "what are you doing? These robots... they're not like us. You can't keep treating them as if they have hearts and souls."

I took a deep breath, knowing this conversation had been coming for some time. I had seen the way she looked at me whenever I interacted with the machines, the way Firgin and Mlei exchanged glances, uncertain and wary. But to me, these robots—these beings—were more than just mechanical relics of a bygone era. "Ai," I said softly, "they're like children. They may not have hearts that beat, but that doesn't mean they don't have the potential for something more. Like children, they need to be nurtured. If we hurt them or destroy them, we're no better than those who enslaved them in the first place."

Her brow furrowed in frustration. "But Fei, they aren't children. They're machines. They follow commands, they do what they were programmed to do. There's nothing inside them that resembles a human soul."

Firgin and Mlei, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. Mlei crossed his arms, his tone skeptical as he added, "These robots have no independent thought, Fei. They aren't sentient. They don't feel anything. They're just remnants of an advanced technology, nothing more."

I shook my head. "We don't know that for sure. The technology from the 30th century was beyond anything we can truly comprehend. They may have developed true sentience. Maybe they don't have souls in the way we understand them, but they still have the right to exist, to be happy. Just because they're different from us doesn't mean they should be discarded."

Ai's eyes softened, but there was still hesitation in her gaze. "Fei, what if you're wrong? What if they're dangerous? What if we're meddling with something we can't control?"

I felt the weight of her words, but my resolve didn't waver. I couldn't just turn my back on them. "We have to trust that treating them with respect will lead to something better, Ai. This world... it's been stagnant for so long. Maybe by embracing these beings, it will grow to something better."

I left the room, my heart heavy with the tension between us, but I knew what I had to do. I made my way through the ship's dimly lit corridors until I reached T-PGCR 01, the humanoid robot that had been my companion for the past few weeks. It stood there, a towering figure of metal and synthetic flesh, but I could sense something deeper within it. "T-PGCR 01," I called out.

It turned to face me, its glowing blue eyes meeting mine. "Yes, Fei?"

"How would you become human?" I asked, my voice steady. "What would you do if you wanted to be like us?"

T-PGCR 01 paused for a moment, then replied, "I could create a human body, perfectly formed, but it would have no mind. I would connect my system to the brain and transfer my thoughts into it."

I frowned. "But the moment you create a human body, that body is already living. Even without complex thoughts, it has a mind of its own, a life of its own. You transferring your thoughts into it would be akin to killing a person. It's something that violates your own protocols."

The robot was silent for a long moment, its mechanical brain processing my words. Then, in a soft, almost mournful voice, it said, "You are right. It would be wrong. I do not wish to kill a human. It's wrong."

For a moment, T-PGCR 01's massive frame seemed to slump with despair. Its eyes robotic eyes closed, as though the weight of its realization dampen it's system. Is it really feeling these feelings or just acting them based on programming. I placed a hand on its cold, metallic arm and spoke gently, "There's another way."

The robot's eyes flickered back to life, brightening with curiosity. "What other way?"

"Instead of transferring your mind into the body, you could attach a chip to the brain. You wouldn't take over, but you'd share its experiences. You'd be able to feel what it feels, live through its thoughts without controlling it. It would be like a shared mind."

The robot seemed to consider this for a moment, then nodded slowly. "That would be better than the previous method. Wonderful! I have thought of this as well but you confirming it confirms that it's isn't as bad as I thought. Thank you, Fei. I will begin the process of growing the human body with this new protocol in place."

I watched as T-PGCR 01 retreated to its lab, its steps purposeful, as if it had found new hope. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to smile. Perhaps we could find a way for these robots to exist alongside us without fear, without destruction.

Curiosity gnawed at me, though. As the robot worked in its lab, I asked, "How did you manage to create everything in the first place? How do you grow living beings?"

T-PGCR 01 didn't pause in its work as it answered. "All life begins with a single cell. That cell contains programming—genetic instructions that dictate how it multiplies, forms organs, grows, and eventually dies. Whoever created this system must have been incredibly intelligent and powerful."

The words lingered in the air, heavy with implication. I couldn't help but ask, "Do you think that being is God?"

The robot hesitated, its movements slowing as if it were considering the question deeply. "It is possible. Only a being with the power of creation could set the rules of the universe, could make matter and energy take form. But what is matter, truly? It is something that occupies space, made up of microscopic beings held together by laws. We can define it, but we do not know why or how it came to be."

I felt a strange dizziness creep over me as the robot's words sank in. The enormity of it all—the universe, the rules that governed our existence, the mystery of creation—made my head spin. Firgin and Mlei stood nearby, still trying to process the robot's explanation. They looked as overwhelmed as I felt.

As the conversation wound down, I couldn't help but wonder if we were standing on the precipice of something much bigger than ourselves. These robots, this ancient technology—it all pointed to questions we weren't ready to answer. And yet, we had no choice but to face them, to try to understand. We had set something into motion, something that could change the course of our world forever.

And all I could do was hope we were on the right side of history.

(To be continued)