First paragraph sources, in written order:
First definition of 039;sentience039; The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition/Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company/Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Second definition of 039;sentience039; G. H. Lews, Webster039;s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Third definiton of 039;sentience039; quote by Earle, Webster039;s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
PROTOMANZERO
A Reinterpretation of the Mega Man and Mega Man X Series
Prologue
Sentience. "Feeling as distinguished from perception or thought." "The quality or state of having sensation." "An example of harmonious action between the intelligence and the sentiency of the mind." All definitions of the word suggest that we can summarize in the form of 039;that which makes a thing alive.039; Yet, if machines were given the gift of sentience, would they then be alive?
The thought plagued Dr. Thomas Harold Light as he first touched upon the vaguest of thoughts that would lead to the creation of such sentient robots. As a scientist, and a moral one at that, he felt that any theory should be without major risk before experimentation began. Thus, he pondered day and night, but his mind wandered only in circles. Technology, he thought, has finally gone beyond our knowledge of the world. Believing deeply in himself, he knew that some time soon sentience could be born of metal and circuitry. This was a dangerous possibility since sentience itself was still significantly misunderstood by the limited perception of the human race. Older, wiser beings knew the secrets of this mystical force–but they cared little for the distant planet of Earth at that point in time, and so they kept watching.
Dr. Albert Winston Wily, Dr. Light039;s assistant, suggested that they begin experimentation even with the risks. His logic was that fundamental advancement never came from careful science. Dr. Light agreed, and so they set to working on their first step towards a sentient machine.
Several years passed, the doctors constantly tweaking and experimenting on their creations. Finally they had vaguely humanoid technology, though it was still programmed, unable to think entirely of its own accord. A small error stopped Dr. Light039;s theory of sentient circuitry dead in its tracks. He did, however, continue working on this theory, leaving most of the hand-work to his colleague. Dr. Wily didn039;t mind; after all, he wasn039;t in it for the science.
Wily planted chips in the robots to gain control of them remotely from his secret laboratory on the other side of the city. One night he finally went over the edge and activated them. The robots promptly destroyed most of Dr. Light039;s lab, then began their journey to a new master; however, one robot resisted Dr. Wily039;s command. Rock attempted to stop the other robots but wasn039;t strong enough. The others had great combat advantages over the weaker house robot.
Gutsman held Rock down as Cutman aimed his flying scissors for a head strike, but one of the other robots told him to stop. Cutman let the scissors rest at his side, and he looked up. "Proto Man? You can039;t control me. We have him!"
"Yeah," Gutsman added. His eyes darted nervously from Proto Man to Cutman. He couldn039;t decide which to follow. Finally, his programmning ruled out: he would follow the logically stronger of the two. But which was that?
Cutman readied his scissors to release at Proto Man, but suddenly a great shock came through his body and he collapsed to the floor. "I will do as you wish," he said to the red robot. Gutsman, having chosen his leader, dropped Rock to the floor and went to follow Proto.
Thus, the seven went northward to Dr. Wily039;s castle at the city039;s far edge: Gutsman, Cutman, Iceman, Fireman, Bombman, Elecman, and Proto Man, leading them.