Strange Sentience

[PSD-7812]

Slums of Coruscant​

​

PSD-7812 had not had a kind day. Firstly he had been kicked by some passing by civilian that could care less if the skittering form underneath him was self thinking or not. It simply was a annoyance on the corner to him. Which he dealt with by, as stated, kicking it out of his way as he passed. It was a simple move. One that in all reality was not intended to cause much harm to the droid. Enough to move it. The moment the mans foot made contact there was a sharp cracking noise which the man responded to by starting to sprint down the road before something could be done.

The upper sensor of the droid had shattered completely from the kick by the man. A stray spark went out of the socket as the droid attempted to regain its footing. It felt no pain so no shock or yell came from it. The damage to its sensor was a major issue he would have to attempt to get fixed and soon. Its vision was two thirds of what it used to be now and even though that was still quite good it was enough to cause disorientation for the droid. A few stumbling steps finally settled the droid back to normal as it looked up at the passing crowd. The man was completely gone. Hopefully that hadn't drawn much attention to PSD-7812. He still was unsure on the Siths views on a sentient droid. He was still unsure of his own views on sentience. In a way he could understand the outrage and confusion at the though. That was another matter though.

He had to find someone to fix this and quickly. He also needed the credits to do so. This would be a issue. He doubted he could find a helpful person in these desolate streets. The droid then curled up into a sphere and attempted to roll down the street but found it oddly difficult without all three senors. This caused him to resort to simply walking down the side. Careful not to get in the pathway of anyone. That would simply result in him being stuck once more. He was getting tired of this kind of life. He needed repairs weekly due to the hoodlums that lived down here. Its a wonder he hadn't been scrapped for credits yet. Possibly someone would take pity on him and offer assistance. Maybe someone would take interest. At the worst he would simply resort to reliving people at the local cantina of their funds if they were too far gone in terms of mind from the intoxicating drinks at said cantina. With this thought he kept his path on the same to the cantina.

 

[Helen Louie]

"... and that will conclude the strange happenings of the mysterious glow clouds of planet Coruscant. More on this, tomorrow! And remember, listeners, red always means go, no matter what." After a moment of turning off the button, Helen gave a meaty sigh and laid back on her smooth velvet chair. If there was anyone in this galaxy who was crazy enough just to pass by, it was her. Stories of clouds, glowing and piling animal bones on the city rooftops? It was amazing she was still in business, or perhaps just, people wanted more of her serious tone in such bizarre story telling. After climbing up and into her special protecting leather socks, followed by her shoes, she gave a wave to one of the friendly droid employees who she - get this! Thought had souls and personality! What a joke.

A quick activation to the durasteel door opened it cleanly. Stepping out, Helen was instantly a victim to the gravely smell of shoes and armpits that spread over several species all together. She blamed the government. It was easier that way. Blame them whenever you had a problem, no matter what. Someone got killed? Blame it on the government. Droid busted? Blame it on the cheap side of the government. Can't get a parking reserve because some 'Senators' were meeting there? Blame. It. On. The. Govern. Ment.

Though clear her disappointment in her mind, she would have rather fainted than demolish her public views on society with being upset one day, at the right time, on the right camera. A glistening, cake smelling smile spread on her lips, she took a step out with the audio of her ship closing on her, and took to the streets. To her surprise, it did not take very long to witness a friend in danger. It seemed, much to her surprise, someone had damaged one of her new suddenly favorite types of droid. She could much tell by the years of repair that went into it. After a moment to get herself out of the wondering crowd, she closed in on the precious droid and looked it over. Could be scrapped for a few credits... "And what are you doing here, precious?" She called out, narrowing the few bits of steps to the droid.

[member="PSD-7812"]

 

[PSD-7812]

The droid moved its body up to look at the woman above him. His working two sensors focused on her face. The woman must have taken him as a lost piece of property that someone had lost. Least that is the only reason he could see that she would call him precious. It wasn't the first time he was called something of the sort. Back on Nal Hutta he faced a variety of nicknames that scorned him. He frankly preferred if he was addressed by his full name and was prone to make such thoughts clear with anyone just as he intended to do so to this stranger that walked up to him. It struck him odd that she would even bother. Especially if she did take him for a simple lost droid. None the less. He spoke up to her with a light buzzing noise to the back of his voice. His old owner took special care to keep that when he upgraded the droids vocabulator. His owner had enjoyed it. It reminded him of the droids model name when he forgot it.

"Precious is not my name. It is PSD-7812. The reason why I am here? I was simply sitting on the corner. Enjoying the view. When someone just kicked me in the damned sensor. Knocked me off to the side and just left me there."

The droid sounded annoyed at his situation. His saw extension being used much like a organic uses hand and arm motions as they talk. The two halves of the shell also were used in such a way. Not intentional and frankly he has yet to notice he does this when he speaks. It was a recent development as was many things for this droid. Seeming to nearly loose himself in thought as he spoke. Glancing down at the floor he quickly looked back up at the woman and asked almost accusingly.

"What do you happen to be here for? Most that walk up to a droid on the street tend to have less than positive plans for it."

[member="Helen Louie"]

 

[Helen Louie]

An evil grin seemed to fill her face as quickly as she had come to approach the droid, which is to say originally, not very fast, but quickly enough to catch on and lure onto things. His sensors were like beauties to her eye. Unknowing why, she longed for it to stay on the outside of her ship and be used for repairs and conversation. It seemed like a fitting job for such a useless creature. In fact, more of a luxury. What better form to offer that to than something else that could fuel her craziness, the one that made all of the stories, the ones that made her wealthy and up the line to famous.

"Of course, PSD-7812, I wish to do very unpleasant things to you. First, I will repair you in the prime condition where you will be treated by both alien hands, and those of droids, then, after a polish and shine I will ask you for favors in exchange for only a generous amount of credits for your own spoiled needs, fueling your terrible desire for whatever you want! Hahah!" She kept herself crouched down to rather not make a scene of herself. "Or... the second option. I leave you here to continue about your glorious life and do whatever it is you do with your owner, the streets, or general favors among those who will see enough to repair you." She kept her evil smirk on her face, though, it wasn't really... evil, her offer.

[member="PSD-7812"]

 

[PSD-7812]

The droid had to honestly think about the offer. A small hesitant step went backwards to make some space between the two. Something about this woman was off putting. He was concerned. None the less he couldn't really refuse the offer. It would sure as hell beat living out on the streets. Even if for a limited time. Hell he escaped from a droid fighting ring before. If things went south he had full expectations that he could make his way out and to safety. The droid carefully shifted his body to the left and right to simply take in the current surroundings of the two.

"I accept. If you change anything besides simply fixing the sensor the deal is off. You touch anything else. From the blaster, the plasma cutters, the saws. Anything at all. I back out immediately."

He did not want to seem rude. Though understandably he was in a odd situation currently. He had to be cautious down here in the slums. He had learned that long ago. He had seen terrible things down here. Horrific acts organics do to one another. Why should he think that a human would treat a droid any different? At around eight hundred years of age you would expect him to be even more cautious at this woman. But in hindsight what does he have to loose? His own life? That was something. Something he held dear. None the less he decided to look at the possible positive.

[member="Helen Louie"]

 

[Helen Louie]

Helen stared for a good long moment, then casually grew a smile and nodded her head. A kind smile. A kind nod. One she would use with humans, but with droids... It was different! She never knew if they were actually real soulful creatures, or fake mechanic beings with a voice box. Either way, there was no denying she had her hands on a new friend. Figuratively, of course. "Right you are, blasters and legs, and stuff." She waved a hand mindlessly, before taking a step back, then turning around while looking behind her at the droid.

"Come along then," She motioned eagerly. "We should get going to my ship before someone else ruins your little senor units." Positive thinking.

[member="PSD-7812"]

 

[PSD-7812]

"Right."

That was the one word response the droid gave as he walked after the woman. Clicks sounding off of the floor as he moved. Due to many of his tools being used as make shift legs, as how buzz droids were designed, every step was a different sound. He much would have rather rolled up into a ball to follow her but again it was disorienting with the damaged sensor. His normal walking speed was slow compared to humanoids so he had to keep a brisk pace to keep up with the human. Suddenly asking out of the blue.

"Is it a bother if I get your name? Seeing how I have given you mine."

Once again he was careful with how he spoke. He felt as if he always came off as mean.

[member="Helen Louie"]

 

[Helen Louie]

Helen felt her feet start to get hot in her special socks. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to take them off once in a while, let them air out... With slow squelches moving about inside her shoes, she turned her head again to look at the quick skittering droid. "Helen Louie, of Cake Bake Radio." She replied with a smile. "I can probably install a radio into you, by giving you the mini packet we give kids. It's free, as long as you always stay tuned for the ads."

The last part almost sounded threatening, but it was the only way she stayed employed, thus far!

[member="PSD-7812"]

 

[PSD-7812]

"I would prefer not to. As nice as the offer is. I am sorry. Just preferably I'd like to go without a radio. Thank you though, Helen."

He had a thing against radios. His old master had a droid specifically with one installed to act as entertainment unit. It filled its job quite well but it seemed like a maddening thing. To have a radio built into the very thing that you are? Then again he was Mister Saw For Hands. He did not have much room to talk when it came to things such as that. The droid attempted to flush those thoughts from his head as he followed Helen.

"I am assuming you'd like a brief history on myself? Just to give you a basic idea of who will be doing these 'favors' for you?"

[member="Helen Louie"]

 

[Helen Louie]

"Ummm... No." Helen replied. The ship wasn't far at all, in fact, the light freighter was just about their reach by the time she finished her sentence. She clicked a lock a few times with lightning fast fingers, then waved inside. After a moment, another droid silence strode by. She walked into the heavily decorated living quarters with a smile on her face. It was... very decorated. Almost every planet, and every story she had ever done had a piece of 'proof' or a piece of remembrance on it. She had a strand of hair in a jar, somewhere, several droid bits floating about in the air from various events, but it was mostly peaceful with a touch of lavender.

"I mean, later, surely, but for now I'd rather fix you up." She replied with a faint grin on her face.

 

[PSD-7812]

If the droid could nod in response he would. Much simpler than a actual spoken response. These organics had it quite easy when it came to communicating with one another. The droid simply shifted its body slightly at a angle up and then back down to get a similar reaction. When they entered the living quarters he couldn't help but stare and take in the well decorated room. It was impressive. He enjoyed it. It seemed happy to him and oddly uplifted him. That is if a droid could be uplifted. That again was something he hardly knew. He was still getting the hang of sentience.

"I understand. I was being a bit straightforward. I don't tend to talk to people so I may be a bit rusty. Not physically but... You understand." He said in between small stutters as he searched for the right words for what he was trying to communicate.

[member="Helen Louie"]

 

[Helen Louie]

"Hey PSD-7812" she squeezed in a tight mouthful, "I get it. A new lifestyle right in a few minutes of time. Bam!" She shouted, causing a squealed reaction from a nearby race of mousedroids, who seemed to immediately continue after they realized it was just their owner. "It's such a change, I can tell you that much." She looked over at her decorations for a moment, then, without continuing on her promises, ran over to a strange droid leg of an old, ancient battle droid. It looked as if it had just been glued together this whole time, and painted a faint green and red over that.

"I just got this from Kashyyyk. The Senator. SENATOR gave it to me." She happily giggled and felt over the leg with a single finger, then flipped back to the droid to her front. "This right here is a prime reason you do radio. You get gifts! Even some listeners give you them! Oh, lemme show you this." She ran her slow, but for the droid's perspective probably decently quick, down the hall to open a drawer of small tokens. She flipped out one and waved it down. "This is from a haunted game arcade, years and years of dust, lemme tell ya that." She continued to ramble on, now heading to the ghost of droids and how she believed they were actual living creatures, no matter the size or programming.

[member="PSD-7812"]

 

[PSD-7812]

The small buzz droid as well nearly jumped with how loud the woman raised her voice. He was used to the bustling city and the crowd but it still caused a small panic for a brief moment. With how quickly she moved on and how often she was changing topics PSD-7812 found it difficult to keep up with all that was being said. He barely had time to spare the droid leg a momentary glance before following along after her. She seemed to be quite... Upbeat. That was the best way he could think to phrase it. Rarely had he imagined that someone would choose to move from topic to topic so quickly. She must just be happy the droid assumed as he listened intently. The fact she went on about droids being living creatures brought a small spark of hope to life within the droids processor. A human honestly thinking that? That was new to him. Then again most humans he had extended conversations with merely looked at him as a machine. He waited patiently for her to finish before asking her a rhetorical question in the start of his line of questions.

"So you would believe that I am a living creature? Capable of independent thought? That is interesting. Organics usually don't seem to think about that when they view droids. Mind if I ask why you first began to think this? It had to of start somewhere."

[member="Helen Louie"]

 

[Helen Louie]

Helen stared at the droid quietly for a moment, wondering the question herself. She actually had an old story on it, but it faded away in a few fires of her chaotic outbursts, once upon a time. "Hmmm. Oh!" She jumped up and chased after one of the mouse droids, scurrying away to do it's job. She captured it and brought it back, letting its wheels roll as quickly as they possibly could in her hand until she turned it off with a simple switch.

"When I was a kid, like, ten years ago, this was one of my first droids. It was a toy, something my parents got me. Every day I would play with it, program it, but no matter what I did, it kept its personality." She smiled and looked over at the droid again. "I tried to program it to stop being shy and sputtery, but it never worked. Not even when I took it to a mechanic. So, what other theory?" She asked quietly as she tossed the mouse gently in the air, then put it on the ground.

[member="PSD-7812"]

 

[PSD-7812]

"Well. I suppose that is a good enough reason as any for that line of thinking."

The droid watched the human play with the mouse droid. They were indeed a skittery model and that's coming from a buzz droid. He was curious if any of the droids here have or have in the past achieved sentience. In a similar level to himself. The odds were probably low for that. This human perplexed the buzz droid. From her personality to her beliefs. It was a roller coaster listening to her. He did like it. To hear a person speak so much to him was enjoyable even if it did seem to just be idle ranting.

Suddenly the small droid remembered why he was even here in the first place.

"I hate to interrupt you. Do you think we could hurry up and get to my sensor. Its bothering me a lot."

[member="Helen Louie"]