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On the way to the Pansystem University of Mihara and New Tideland, ART and I had time to go through the pre-CR entertainment AdaCol2 had given me. ART selected a show called The Expanse as part of my therapy program. Controlled exposure to trauma related stimuli would apparently desensitize my reaction over time. The show included a ship whose humans were often in danger but did not die or get left behind, and a lot of alien remnant technology. It was also deeply unrealistic. The show had been old for the pre-CR colonists and human imagining of space exploration before they were doing any space exploration was unsurprisingly inaccurate, except for the alien remnant technology. That was terrifyingly accurate
We watched the show in bursts with episodes of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon and Worldhoppers in between, sometimes pausing multiple times in an episode. It was extremely stressful and the human with the hat got on my nerves. I didn't mind so much when he died.
By the second season, I was invested. ART noted my attachment to Bobby.
"You relate to her," it said.
She'd just escaped out of the window to go see the ocean. I ignored it, but it was right.
In the third season she got her powered armor back and my organic parts released dopamine and I suppressed the urge to cheer. Later, when Bobby separated from the rest of the humans to draw the alien hybrid away, I became extremely upset. ART switched to episode 257 of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon to help me avoid an involuntary shut down.
"I've scanned the rest of the episode," ART said. "The human survives."
I couldn't calm down. Bobby being chased by the hybrid was so similar to TargetContact chasing me. ART initiated a comm call with Mensah without asking. I'd agreed to this part of my trauma protocol, but I was still annoyed. She was home and Tano quietly left the room. She talked about Preservation Aux as I calmed down. Amena wandered in and I wondered if ART had pinged her. She'd been watching the show too.
"Naomi is my favorite," she said between mouthfuls of dehydrated vegetables.
I scoffed. "She didn't destroy the alien remnant technology."
"She was doing her best! It was a difficult situation. Who's your favorite ART? Of the humans."
She knew it well. It would've picked the ship, despite the Rocinante's limited sentience.
"Amos," ART declared after a moment.
Amos was a perfect example of why humans and ART can't be trusted with security.
"That makes sense," Amena nodded. "Operation Rain Destruction. I finished the series, Bobby doesn't die. Don't worry SecUnit."
"Should I watch it?" Mensah asked. "I'm feeling left out."
"No, the planetary leaders are corrupt," I said.
"I don't watch media just to relate to the characters," she protested.
"Kids die," Amena said.
ART had done the bot equivalent of starring at the wall when the adolescent human became infected with the alien remnant technology and I'd felt a bit better that I was not the only one struggling. It was also upset that none of the stupid humans had noticed the alien remnant on their ship despite it being there for several episodes.
"Oh no, not for me then," Mensah agreed.
We talked for a while longer and then logged off. We were leaving Preservation space that day and I felt a twinge at the thought of how long it would be until I saw Mensah again. Eight months was the answer. Pin Lee had included transportation to Preservation Aux every six to eight months in my contract with Pansystem University of Mihara and New Tideland.
"Should we finish the episode?" ART asked.
"Does she kill the hybrid?"
"Yes."
I nodded and ART started the episode up again.