He called me "Partner"
Arbalest was powered-down, secured with tie-down straps, in the weapons storage bay of the Tuatha de Danaan. Sergeant Sagara had finished his training session for the day and had left a little while ago. When he had powered-down Arbalest, he had left AL powered so the computer could run diagnostics and battle simulations.
AL was having a problem with semantics and logic. The problem didn't relate to diagnostics or to the simulations. It related to a comment Sergeant Sagara had made after the battle in Hong Kong. He had told AL that he had resolved his problem that kept him from using Arbalest and the Lambda Driver. When AL asked him for an explanation Sergeant Sagara had said "You figure it out, partner".
AL had used it's wireless connection to the submarine's on-line library to reference the meaning of the phrase. AL parsed the sentence and understood he meant AL to determine how he had "figured out" his problem. The problem lay with the term: Partner. AL understood the definition but was having trouble seeing how Sergeant Sagara applied it.
Partner: A person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor. A player on the same team. To serve as a partner.
AL had no problem with the words, it was application that was the problem. AL knew the term – person – didn't apply as it was not human. AL decided to wait for an opportunity to discuss this with Sergeant Sagara.
The next morning Sousuke got into Arbalest and powered up the systems. He asked AL for the diagnostic and battle simulation results. AL stated there were no defects to Arbalest and then reviewed the simulations with Sousuke. After the review, Sousuke asked AL if there any problems after the systems had warmed up. AL told him there weren't any but stated clarification was needed. Sousuke told AL to tell him what needed clarification.
AL declared that a partner was a person so AL couldn't be a partner.
Sousuke chuckled and told AL that he will explain it. "First, I want you to use personal pronouns when speaking conversationally like this" said Sousuke.
AL saw that as a problem also. "How will you know when I am talking about Arbalest as a whole or as the computer separately?" AL asked.
Sousuke replied, "Is Arbalest, without your assistance, capable of useful functioning?"
"No," AL said.
Sousuke said, "Thats the same for humans. Without a brain, the body would continue to function for awhile but the guidance is not there. A person doesn't consider their brain as separate or apart from the body. So I consider Arbalest as your body and AL as the brain. If you want, when you are talking as AL, use pronouns. When describing Arbalest's condition, don't use pronouns."
"Now, as I understand it, you are having trouble in determining how I resolved my problem." said Sousuke.
"Agreed." said AL.
"First, there were split feelings of duty and my conscience." said Sousuke. "I hope you never have that "human" problem. Second, were my feelings about Arbalest and my inability to properly mesh with it and use it properly. Third, was my problem working with you." He was silent for a moment marshaling his thoughts.
"You have to understand that people will develop an attitude about inanimate objects. They will either feel a strong liking or distaste for a particular piece of equipment. That is why sailors call their ship "She". It is why crew chiefs feel so attached to their airplanes. The funny thing is that over time you feel the heart or soul in that object. Pilots fly back airplanes that should have fallen out of the sky and swear that the plane wouldn't give up until they got home." explained Sousuke. "Unfortunately, up until Hong Kong, I was developing an actual loathing for using Arbalest. When I was inside it, I wasn't protecting Kaname. I also had a problem in thinking Arbalest was ready to be used in combat. Since I couldn't depend on it functioning properly I felt that it was undependable. No soldier wants his life or that of his comrades risked using a weapon that wouldn't work. Finally, my problem with you."
Again Sousuke stopped and tried to put into words how he felt. "My problem was that I was used to the previous generation of AS. Their computer doesn't interact as you do. Since I was having a conversation I irrationally thought of you as a fellow campaigner. When something happened that I thought "the other guy" would handle and it wasn't, I felt I couldn't work with you."
AL said, "You were mistaken in thinking I was "the other guy" since as I told you I am not a person."
Sousuke scoffed at that. "Are you sentient?" asked Sousuke.
"Not possible," said AL "Not a person."
Sousuke said "Better check with a dictionary."
Sentient: Having the power of perception by the senses. Characterized by sensation and consciousness. A person or thing that is sentient.
Sousuke said "You have sensors that allow you to determine conditions of your body and exterior conditions. You are aware of those conditions and judge and act accordingly. That is what makes up a sapient entity."
Sapient: Ability of an entity or organism to act with judgment.
"Those are only programmed responses and I am not capable of original thought." said AL.
Sousuke laughed and said. "Humans have "programmed responses" too. They are called reflexes. Sad to say, most of the human race isn't capable of original thought either." He told AL that he had a revelation just before the battle in Hong Kong that allowed him to get his act together.
"Did it involve being knocked down over and over?" asked AL. "Because I saw Miss Chidori talking with you and you were falling down a lot."
Sousuke laughed out loud and it took some time to before he was able to answer AL. "You are right about the "speech" Kaname gave me." said Sousuke. "It put a new perspective on duty and conscience." He paused a moment and chuckled. "My next revelation was that there is a reason an X is placed before Arbalest's model number. Experimental models are not supposed to go into combat until full testing is completed. I wouldn't make that mistake with an M9 so why was I making it with Arbalest. My third revelation was that you are a rookie too. No experience in combat."
"What I did was make a change in my attitude. Treat you like a replacement soldier. Know that you are unfamiliar with the environment but use your input with my experience to make a team." He told AL. He tapped the display faceplate with his knuckle. "A team is made up of partners." He got up to leave and reminded AL about powering down. Before he left the bay he told AL goodnight. AL was reviewing what Sousuke had said and wasn't able to respond.
"That's alright," thought AL. "I'll be able to greet him properly in the morning – my partner."