February 12?

zenyattayes:

Humans do not remember being born. Most do not even recall the first three to four years of their life. However, Omnics remember the exact time and date that they first came online. After all, it is, essentially, their first thought.

5:36 AM, February 12, 2056

After that, the visual sensors come online, and the processor begins to put words to images.

A man, Asiatic, wearing square glasses, with a sparse mustache and meticulously trimmed little beard. Black hair. Brown eyes. A slightly open mouth and furrowed eyebrows. Identified expression: uncertainty.

The audio sensors boot up moments later.

The room is quiet except for the hum of the overhead lamps and the muffled sounds of outside traffic. The man sniff and clears his throat.

Then the start-up process begins.

Thank you for activating Tekhartha model 750X.U.  Please state your registration code:

• Edeno3RA2F1nzxxONETW

Confirmed. Please identify registered user:

• Khadka Roshan

Confirmed. Would you like to designate a friendly name for this Tekhartha unit?

• Zenyatta.

Confirmed. Unit designated as Tekhartha Zenyatta. Would you like to designate an alternative to the default gender?

• Oh! I did not- Uh, what is the default gender?

Null.

• Ah, well, hmm. I suppose that’s fine. Are masculine pronouns acceptable? Your voice is a bit, uh… deep for female…

Vocal settings can be adjusted.

• No, that’s fine! Everything is fine!

Acknowledged. Would you like to designate an implicit purpose, to allow for greater independant operation in the absence of set tasks?

• Ahhh, hmm. You are responsible for the uh, upkeep and maintenance of the Kathmandu University library. You put books away. You help students find information they are looking for. I suppose you could even help them with their homework if you wanted, but don’t simply do it for them.

Acknowledged. I will assist students, but I am not to complete their work for them.

• Yes. That’s right.

Is there any optional software you would like to install?

• Um, no. Not at this time, thank you. No wait, that one, that bookkeeping one, I want that one.

Acknowledged. Downloading bookkeeping software now. Is there any optional software you would like to install.

• Thank you, that is enough.

 There was a moment of awkward silence between Kathmandu University’s head librarian and his new assistant, then Khadka Roshan jerked up with a gasped “oh!” He turned to the counter beside him, grabbed a small pile of clothes, and held them out to Zenyatta. “You will probably want to put these on before we begin.”

 Zenyatta looked at the clothing and identified a plain white button-up shirt, a brown sweater vest, and brown corduroy pants. A moment passed as he processed what to do, then he bowed his head, thanked Mr. Khadka, and dressed. When he finished, he was handed a book, and told to put it away.

 He turned it over in his hands. 191 Ced. “The Nature of the Soul” by Lucinda Cedercrans.

 “This belongs in the Philosophy section, I will return it right away.” He turned to leave, but Mr. Khadka hummed uncertainly, catching Zenyatta’s attention. “Is there something else, sir?”

 “Are you not curious?”

 Curious? He had not been before, but Mr. Khadka’s tone implied that perhaps that was wrong. That perhaps, he should be. His processors did not know the expected answer to the question, and the blank space made him… Well, perhaps it made him curious. “About what?”

 “About the book.”

 Zenyatta looked at the book. “My implicit purpose is to care for the books. To ensure that they are filed in the correct position on the shelves. The contents of the books are not of my concern.”

 “Ah.” Mr. Khadka nodded sagely, pursing his lips and inhaling deeply. Identified expression: disappointment. “Well, perhaps it will come to you in time,” he added reassuringly, patting Zenyatta’s shoulder. “Human children need years to discover themselves. I suppose it was too much to expect you to know on your first day alive.”