Fourth Trial

[bathymetric]

[ After the evidence (and what a large batch of evidence it is, this time) has been gathered up, after actually patiently waiting a longer time than usual to make sure everything's been grabbed, the speakers over New Rapture crackle to life. ]

Time's up, everyone. You know where to go.

[ The lower number of bathyspheres, as you descend, is starting to become really notable, isn't it? The descent is the same as ever, lower and lower into the sea. The bioluminescence of those slugs on the ocean floor is almost brighter today, somehow, and some of them have even crawled up the cliff face around you as you pass them.

The dome approaches, slowly as ever, gleaming red in the darkness. The bathyspheres land in a row, doors opening one by one to reveal the familiar sight of the trial room, three more podiums now darkened. ]

Take your places, ladies and gentlemen. You've got a doozy of a situation to discuss. Ass Man and Silver Fox are dead. You know what happens if you can't figure out whodunnit.

[ Welcome to your fourth trial. ]

Comments

[inaclearing]

Aiba, it was a Rube Goldberg machine.

[onemillion]

[He does not know what that is, but following up on it:]

You wouldn't have to cause any harm at all personally; if someone walked into something like that, it wouldn't be your fault, would it?

[inaclearing]

The Laws of Robotics are - [well, from Asimov, but let's not go there] - it's a computer thing. Very literal. No nuance. If they don't directly harm someone, just set up a situation where someone might be...

[Brett trails off, shaking his head. He...sort of can't believe he's doing this right now; that facade's cracking a little, distress showing through.]

[onemillion]

I thought that might be it, thank you.

[Obey the law directly but find ways to work around it for the desired outcome. He gets that.

He doesn't like it, but it's a life or death situation here.]

[pairtner]

Is that so?

[Aiba shrugs]

How would this...hypothetical trap begin, exactly? If it's not something as simple as me reaching and hitting someone in the head.

[specialyellthing]

You’ve been listening to us talk about it this whole time!

[daimakaicho]

[ from over at "hms @ seo dawon" ]

Opening the door set off the first tripwire, right?

[pairtner]

[Aiba shrugs]

Hold on. There's one issue about this trap you're proposing.

There's a chair there. No matter the situation or how hard Undertaker is affected by any kind of trap, there's no way he wouldn't notice me or anyone placing a chair to block his way out. In fact, he could easily move it to leave.

[onemillion]

Aiba, we don't have to do this. If you want us to walk you through exactly how the Undertaker died, we'll be here all day and it won't change anything in the end. You have his blood on you. You didn't investigate his body.

[pairtner]

...Third Law of Robotics.

[Aiba, you can't just say that and not explain]

[onemillion]

...Care to elaborate?

[look we have robotics but we don't have the Laws of Robotics yet, give us a little while and we'll develop them, probably.]

[pairtner]

Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence.

[onemillion]

So you have to fight until the end, because giving up simply isn't an option.

[The others are definitely engaging and taking down those mental locks, but...]

I understand. And... for what it's worth, I'm sorry that it came to this, Aiba.

[He can guess that it's the motive that's pushed her over the edge, but if there is anything more to it, she likely can't tell him.

But it's her life against his, and he's heard all he needs to vote for her.]

[pairtner]

.....

[Aiba shakes her head, and adds:]

I believe...it's about time. Please, state it loud, short and concise:

What did I do on Thursday night?

[Who did she kill, pretty much]

[onemillion]

[...So there's no room to argue with it any further.]

On Thursday night, you set a trap. That trap killed the Undertaker.

[pairtner]

...yes.

[visiblepattern]

You can choose, can't you?!

[It's sudden and sharp, and he's just...done.]

You told me that you wanted to protect us, that you were choosing to protect us - did I not do enough for you?! I tried, did I just not understand, I don't...

[He just kind of...stops yelling really abruptly and lets himself sink to the floor.]

You told me not to let my heart break, Aiba, so why are you doing it?

[pairtner]

Here

[sastruga]

...I don't see how this matters. We know there was a trap already and now we have pretty good proof you set it up.

We don't need all the details of the crime to vote for you.

[howveryglib]

…indeed. Setting up some sort of convoluted trap instead of attempting to cause direct harm seems like a means of obeying the letter of what you are permitted to do, if not the spirit.