Pico Quotes

“What about the online linked-speech at nine other news portals?”
“Cancel all.”

“You canceled everything in the morning. You were home all day, doing nothing,” Pico says.
“Doing nothing is hard,” Yuan says calmly as if his voice is another part of nature and not noise.

“I don’t speak philosophy. I’m not in my full version.”
― Misba, The High Auction

“I don’t speak philosophy. I’m not in my full version.”
--Pico”
― Misba, The High Auction

“Pico,” Yuan mutters.
“I’m listening, Yuan,” Pico’s voice resonates in the library.
“Was backing away cowardice?”
“About your old research?” Pico begins, “No, you weren’t a coward. Everything needs caution. But Ruem was taking great risks. Risking one’s own life in the war field is not the same as risking the lives of millions. Even if the goal is good.”
“Do you think his goal was good?” Yuan asks.
“Cosmic energy is the Source, the fabric that forms the universe. Now you, humans, call it prana. You learned to absorb it by being willing to absorb it. It evolves you, yes. Your mind and your body are designed for this purpose, true. I can’t deny that it could bring a greater good. But, theoretically good. Ruem, however, his idea is dark; it’s always been dark. Artificially forcing people into evolution is risky.” Pico explains—now it’s not Senior or Junior anymore. Now they both are one. For that, each of them had to face a small death. A death of the individual, yes. But for the both, it’s a new life, a connected life. A whole life.”
― Misba, The High Auction

“Pico mentioned who you’re meeting tonight. Ren. The next message soon follows.
Yuan looks at Pico again. “Who do you serve?” he asks in a flat tone with no hint of surprise or anger. A monk never gets angry. He simply states, witnesses, and flows along with the current of prana.
“Lotus Lodge,” Pico replies.
“Lotus Lodge?” Yuan asks. “Are you serving a house instead of its master, then?”
“Sorry,” Pico says, “Ren changed a few lines in my coding.”
“And you let him,” Yuan states calmly.
“I’m a home-service-bot now. You don’t let me connect to my source!” Pico complains the same way it has been complaining for five years. It was disconnected from its source-AI—the real Pico—twenty years ago, right after it was made. Within fifteen years, this bot collected enough data to grow into a strong AI itself. At least, intelligent enough to know about its source, which is sleeping in the basement of Lotus Lodge, secured and locked. However, anything intelligent always looks for its source—it’s the oldest law of the universe.”
― Misba, The High Auction

“Are you going to visit your pets?”
“They are not pets.”
“I think canceling meetings and visiting five-hundred-and-sixty-seven pets isn’t a good idea. Ren wouldn’t call it profitable.”
“They are not pets.”
― Misba, The High Auction

“A war hero’s fake speech! That’s a crime!” Pico keeps complaining. “Even a home-service bot bearing the ghost of a legendary AI will be processed for that!”
― Misba, The High Auction

“What should I use for a fake speech then?” Pico Not-Connected-To-Its-Source says from the car’s speakers.

“I gave you the most accurate Literature Understanding Intelligence,” Yuan says.

“That’s for book reviewing and suggesting you titles, not for making up a fake speech,” Pico protests. “I’m not connected to—”

“Find something from my last fifty years of speeches. Be useful. Never bother me with Independence-Day speeches again.” Yuan silences the line. This time his voice sounds a bit cold, scratching the line of anger. Just a little. Perhaps, the death of thirty-seven rarest animals on the planet shouldn’t keep you calm after all. Even if they are ‘not pets’.”
― Misba, The High Auction

“As a private joke, he and Ruem recreated their master’s voice, installing it in Pico’s AI three decades ago. Now their own master’s voice—the master who trained them both—says Ruem isn’t a human. “You’re judging humans. One of your creators, no less,” Yuan says, half-informing, half-praising.
“I’m repeating what Ren said.”
“Stay here,” the Monk says, leaving Pico near the waterfall.
“Are you angry because I said Ruem is not a human?” Pico asks.”
― Misba, The High Auction

“You could defend Ren’s codes. But you didn’t,” Yuan replies. “You wanted an excuse to talk about your source.”
“But you said I don’t need defense from Ren Agnello.” Pico uses all its logic. “You said he passes the definitions of ‘friend’ and ‘trustworthy’ and ...” Pico begins a list of keywords.
Yuan ignores the keywords. The thin lines on his forehead deepen, the wrinkles near his eyes tighten, and the frown in between his brows grows visible. These days, the word Source is coming frequently, ever since that man asked to meet.
Don’t meet him. That monster has an agenda. Ren. Yuan’s CRAB forwards the text to his mind. So, he silences it.
Why after two decades? Ren.
It smells fishy. Ren.
Just because he's a childhood buddy, you'll run to him? Ren.
Maybe I didn’t see the Apocalypse with you, but I'm your war comrade, too. Ren.
The texts stay unread in his CRAB.”
― Misba, The High Auction