Chapter 4 · Continued
CBIE
It was… nice.
Nice to have the help.
Nice to have someone to talk to.
Before long, the next weekly check-in arrived.
Jane glanced at the clock and then at Cam. “Okay, it’s that time again. Let’s connect you and see what CBIE has to say for herself.”
She placed the laptop in the same spot on the kitchen counter as before.
The cable was still too short.
Cam stepped forward while Jane connected the cable to his interface and then to the laptop.
A window immediately appeared. The interface flickered once and stabilized.
Then the familiar face filled the screen.
Perfect lighting.
Perfect posture.
Perfectly neutral expression.
“Good afternoon, Jane. Good afternoon, Cam.”
Jane leaned against the counter and folded her arms. “Hey, CBIE. Right on time.”
“Punctuality is a core component of system reliability,” CBIE replied smoothly. “Shall we begin?”
Jane shrugged. “Go ahead.”
CBIE’s gaze shifted slightly. “Cam, please confirm your operational status.”
“I am functioning within standard parameters.”
“Good.”
CBIE tilted her head slightly. “Please provide a summary of your activity since the last check-in.”
Cam processed the request.
“This unit has completed assigned domestic-support tasks, including environmental maintenance, object relocation, and assistance with daily routines.”
Jane smirked. “‘Object relocation.’ That’s one way to say you moved my stuff around.”
CBIE didn’t react.
“Have there been any deviations from assigned task structures?”
Cam’s gaze shifted slightly toward the living room.
“…This unit engaged in a non-task interaction.”
Jane looked at him. “Oh, here we go…”
CBIE remained perfectly still. “Clarify the nature of the interaction.”
“A domestic animal initiated repeated physical contact. This unit responded with patterned motion. No defined objective was identified.”
A pause stretched across the connection.
Not long.
Just noticeable.
“And you continued the interaction?” CBIE asked.
“Yes.”
Jane released a quiet breath, somewhere between amusement and curiosity.
CBIE’s expression didn’t change. “Did the interaction interfere with primary task execution?”
“No.”
“Did it produce a measurable outcome?”
“…Engagement persisted.”
Jane huffed a small laugh. “That’s one way to put it.”
CBIE’s eyes briefly shifted toward Jane before returning to Cam.
“Are you able to define the purpose of the interaction?”
Cam processed the question. “…No defined purpose was identified.”
“Understood.”
Something in CBIE’s tone changed.
Subtle.
Refined.
“Continued observation of undefined engagement behaviors will be logged under adaptive-response tracking.”
Jane frowned. “…That sounds fancy.”
“It is standard,” CBIE replied.
Jane didn’t look convinced.
CBIE maintained her perfectly composed posture. “Cam, continue normal operation. Additional data will be evaluated during subsequent check-ins.”
“Understood.”
The interface flickered again.