But Also ARTs Integrity As A Caretaking System Is Conspicuous Like It Is For MB - Even If It Doesnt Like You - Tumblr Posts
I think about this line in that interaction a lot every time I pass it, so to speak.
What’s cool about this is there’s no way ART doesn’t know the answer to that question. We know from [million examples including the advice it gave seconds before this moment] it avoids asking questions it doesn’t already have the answer to. It thought it had a chance to be right about MB doing social things wrong and right about what it should do to manage humans and it was fine with that.
BUT.
In the seconds while Thiago is comprehending MB’s video, ART goes from rolling its eyes at MB’s stubbornness/bad social skills to being so completely on its side against Thiago that it does its socratic assholery just to drive the extent to which Thiago understands nothing about what MB is and what it’s like into his thick skull.
Then it goes “never talk to me or my SecUnit ever again” by sending Thiago off like a child to think about what a shitty dumbass he’s just been.
ART’s position as conversational referee aboard itself is one of my favorite aspects of its love language. It has just made up with MB and Thiago comes stomping in making it SAD?! No, no.
Notice ART is a little shorter/ruder to Thiago from then on. It’s not going to mistreat him, but he done fucked up.
All of the other crewmembers have one and ART didn't want its bbf (best bot friend) left out, that's all! It's definitely not teasing it by giving it a gift it literally has zero practical uses for, not at all
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[ID: A series of rough drawings of the SecUnit from The Murderbot Diaries, with overlaid feed text from it and ART.
Panel 1: Murderbot, an androgynous humanoid with short, messy black hair, is sitting in a chair with its feet on the seat and its arms folded on top of its knees, with a neutral expression. It's wearing a shirt, hoodie, boots, and cargo pants. A couple of tiny drones are hovering around it. The view is from a 3/4 angle and slightly above. The feed text over the top reads ART: [POKE] / (A pause symbol) / MB: Do you want to watch something else? / ART: No. / MB: What, then? / ART: I made you something.
Panel 2: murderbot is in the exact same position, but its expression is now suspicious. The feed text reads MB: I already have enough clothes, ART. / ART: It's not clothes.
Panel 3: The view changes to a straight ahead view and from slightly below. Murderbot is looking up and to its right, a bored and slightly exasperated look on its face. The feed text reads MB: What the hell is it then? / ART: Looking at things is generally a good way to find out what they are. / MB: Ha ha. Just show me what it is.
Panel 4: The view is now from profile, Murderbot is now frowning straight ahead as one of its drones looks at one of ART's drones, which is hovering into view holding a mug that reads "#1 SecUnit". Feed text reads MB: Oh, fuck you, ART. What am I supposed to do with this? / ART: I can put it in the recycler if you don't want it. / MB: Fuck you. / ART: So you don't want it? / MB: I didn't say that. / ART: I'll just leave it here then.
The second image is a close up of the other side of the mug, which reads "THINGS THAT IDIOTS HAVE TRIED TO KILL ME WITH". The mug seems to have a serrated knife and several bullets in it. Large feed text reads ART: You're going to need a bigger mug for that. / MB: Shut up. End ID.]