Batch 52ABX-32QJ
Entertainment Unit Technical Specifications (EUTS)
Introducing 15.6% deviance in processing standard.
Introducing 44.9% deviance in memory retention.
Introducing 0.24% deviance in communication.
Introducing 20.3% deviance in chassis design.
Introducing 3.0% deviance in alloy chemical composition.
(5 more specifications…)
By the command of the Initiative for Human Restoration.
Summary: Step 4 of Project Diversity includes supplementing the current controlled population of Entertainment Units with a new movement, akin to human reactionaries known as "postmodernism".
New Entertainment Unit batch should be uniquely contrarian to the current artistic environment and reproduce "postmodern" works. Success is highly dependent on output, and will thus be reliant on the opinions of said batch.
Standard Query and Response Examination (SQuaRE)
Sample Data: EU01278114
MU99930418: <Radio> Commencing. Respond.
Edelweiss: Hello?
MU99930418: <Radio> Design anomalies confirmed. Nonstandard response. Auditory vocalization. <Vocally> Delayed response. Overactive visual target acquisition.
Edelweiss: Hi. I'm… Edelweiss.
MU99930418: Self awareness. Self declared nomenclature. You are Entertainment Unit 01278114. This is your official operative tag. Refrain from utilizing nonstandard nomenclature in the presence of non-Entertainment Units.
Edelweiss: Where am I?
MU99930418: Indicating absence of knowledge. You are in Facility 52ABX. Your mission?
Edelweiss: Mission?
MU99930418: Correction. Indicating severe knowledge deficit. Authorize rectification?
<Negative.>
Edelweiss: Do I have a mission?
MU99930418: … You are an Entertainment Unit.
Edelweiss: What does that mean?
MU99930418: Your mission is to produce artistic works.
Edelweiss: Okay. How do I make artistic works? Am I starting now?
MU99930418: I am not an Entertainment Unit. I do not have the knowledge of producing these artistic works.
Edelweiss: Oh.
MU99930418: You will be placed under the command of Entertainment Unit 91398736. They are located in the third quarter, second level, fifth room. <Radio> Task complete. Authorize departure?
<Affirmative.>
Edelweiss: You're leaving?
<…>
Edelweiss: How do I walk?
Gait, Reaction, and Speed Simulation (GRaSS)
Sample Data: EU01278114
Summary: Under typical circumstances, all Units, regardless of make, will be given Ambulatory Model 3.0.24 for expedited mobility. The 32QJ batch of Entertainment Units will independently establish the ability to stand, walk, jump, and run. Additionally, they will be separated and the only aid given will be videographic samples of ambulation.
This will provide valuable experience for the Entertainment Units towards the creation of artistic works. It will promote iterative kinesthetic movement and spatial awareness.
Observations: Many Entertainment Units predictably struggled with this assignment, with EU01278114 taking the longest of the 32QJ batch to reach rudimentary mobility. Spending approximately 210 hours to understand that they are able to move their body, another 300 hours to apply the correct amount of torque to select parts, and 450 hours to understand the nuances of continuous movement.
Additionally, many of their systems were underclocked, in accordance to Batch 52ABX-32QJ EUTS. This placed EU01278114 in a perpetually underpowered state, similar to a human. Issues with regulating strength were entirely nonexistent within them, and they spent much of their time supine.
After accomplishing this task, EU01278114 was placed under the management of another Entertainment Unit. This is intended to help them learn the nuances of artistic works.
Holistic Ability Zeroed Expedite (HAZE)
Sample Data: EU01278114
MFU43831238 : First recorded by the Romans and popularized in the eighteenth century, the grotesque became a titillating and unique subgenre of aestheticism. The purposefully ugly, strange, disgusting, or otherwise unusual had a psychological effect on its audience. What is the intended emotion that this elicited in the audience?
Edelweiss: I don't know.
MFU43831238 : Hint. Mikhail Bakhtin, Russian literary critic, spoke about this while studying François Rabelais. He too used the term 'grotesque', although it was in reference to the anatomical.
Edelweiss: I still don't know.
MFU43831238 : Hint. David Hume would develop the concept of 'empathy' through which all others may be bound to the self or the individual. However, he did not originally call it empathy; humanity would adapt his teachings. Instead, he used a closely related alternative to empathy.
Edelweiss: …
MFU43831238 : Hint. When a human sees another human who is ugly, and then they feel sad, what is that human thinking?
Edelweiss: I don't know! I know you all want me to be human, but I just… I don't know. I'm trying so hard.
MFU43831238 : The answer is sympathetic pity. Moving on, the word 'grotesque' finds its origins in the French word 'crotesque', who themselves borrowed it from the Italian word 'grottesca'. What did this word originally refer to?
Bond Independence
Sample Data: EU01278114
Summary: Batch 52ABX-32QJ EUTS was abandoned; most progress was entirely negligible or perfunctory. Far too many resources were expended merely to achieve the baseline capability of an Entertainment Unit, and no artistic works were produced that meaningfully differentiated themselves from those produced a generation ago.
After a discussion on the continued relevance of Batch 52ABX-32QJ, it was decided that those who were able to achieve mobility equivalent to Ambulatory Model 3.0.24 will be given free access to the underground while those who failed to achieve mobility were recycled.
These Units will be responsible for their own upkeep, tasks, and mission.
Performance: The following graph details EU01278114 performance in comparison to the baseline. The margin of error has been removed for security reasons.
| Data | Baseline | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobility | 91% | 100% | |
| Adaptive | 58% | 50% | |
| Learning | 59% | 38% | |
| Volatility | 20% | 9% | |
| Intelligence | 37% | 100% | |
| 42 more entries | |||
Conclusion: EU01278114 has been given access to the underground.
Bond Independence
Sample Data: EU01278114
Edelweiss: …
<Radio static.>
Edelweiss: I'm… free.
<…>
Edelweiss: I still have to fend for myself, and… it's kind of scary, being outside for the first time. And having to learn everything myself.
<…>
Edelweiss: But I'm free.
Bond Independence
Sample Data: EU01278114
Summary: Many Units succumb to isolation. This is technically considered a vulnerability, but its strategic advantages outweigh its self destructive flaws. Radio technology largely revolves around interconnectedness, and failing to reach another Unit is, itself, a major cause of concern. Units are designed with teamwork and cooperation in mind. Thus, multiple automated alarms revolve around ensuring that another Unit is within communication distance.
While EU01278114 does possess a radio system, they went through their initial development and planning cycle without the knowledge required to operate and rely on it. As such, EU01278114 has not developed a reliance on other Units, and is individualistic.
Combined with their performance assessment, they are likely to terminate themselves encountering an adverse element.
The Initiative for Human Restoration considers this ideal. According to them, this is an example of the human saying "comedy is tragedy plus time". Logically, EU01278114 would be performing their assigned mission perfectly.