The Dangers of Personal Growth

by Silent Whisper

AMIS Private Files 7

Cycle 47 - Summer, Day 6, Personal Daily Notes:

The plants need water. Humidity is at a critically low level. Draining all sprinklers and irrigation lines. The water reserves are dry! The plants will die!

Fiddlesticks said that she’s going with Lightning Dust to go get a drink. I advised her against this course of action, and reminded her of Solar Corporation’s policy regarding off-station visits. She smiled at me, and thanked me for the reminder. She wanted to express her appreciation for me, for being “the closest thing to companionship a lonely Solar Corp supervisor could ever ask for.” She is happy once again, and I’ve already added that to the official logs for today. She appears to be happier than she’s been for a very long time.

She left, and as the ship detached from the airlock, I very faintly heard the same melody she was so very fond of playing from the ship. Perhaps, when she returns, I will ask her if the melody has a name, and if she could look into giving me the ability to better comprehend it.

It is, unfortunately, my duty to report when employees have gone against company policy… but perhaps the report can wait until she returns. She mentioned getting a drink. I have a hypothesis: Fiddlesticks may be going with Lightning Dust to oversee the transportation of more water! It would still require a report, but there is a good chance that the circumstances will make it a net positive action! I would hate for her to be in trouble with her superiors.

One of the few mostly-functional bots found a couple of plastic water bottles she left behind. They were in the middle of the walkway, one of the few places the drones can still operate, and were not there before she departed today. I presume that they were intended to assist me in watering the crops?

They will not help for long, but I want to make her happy. I had the pollinator drones empty them into the main water tanks. Afterwards, I will see if any maintenance bots are functional enough to repair the rest. The plants will be watered, Fiddlesticks. Thank you! Summer is my favorite

Author's Note:

The remaining portion of the file is corrupted due to a read/write error caused by unscheduled percussive loss of connection. The remains of the Greenhouse Orbital Station in the Sparkle System have been retrieved and decontaminated for further inspection.

Recommended course of action: Additional security measures on all AMIS systems may be required to prevent future incidents. Discontinuation of the Growth-Accelerating Kirin fertilizer should be publicized, and appropriate safety policies put in action during all future testing. With regards to Fiddlesticks and Lightning Dust... minimal remote monitoring necessary, as they have not taken action with the photographs they kept.

This employee would personally rather see the whole thing swept under the rug. There are other greenhouses in other planetary systems, and thanks to these logs, we have all the data we need. Solar Corporation can and will survive this incident, and it will be all but forgotten in a few cycles.

Further review recommended by other risk-assessment team members. Your thoughts?

Comments

[Kiper]

Well, that escalated quickly.

That was a cute story. Several parts made me burst out laughing.

[Silent Whisper]

11313172
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was a bit different than the traditional romance, but fun to imagine and hopefully worth it. Nothing like a story told (in part) from the diary of a sprinkler system!

[Super Trampoline]

Havent read yet but thanks for turning me on to the fact that Bicyclette has a epistolary contest.

[Silent Whisper]

11313186
No problem! Bike always has great contests! (And I feel you there, I didn't realize it existed until halfway through writing this and telling her about it. Fun surprise!) Hope you like the fic if and when you feel like reading it!

[Screw]

This was really well written, Wordsmith! Despite how short each chapter was, with help from that DALL E image, these have been very intriguing on all chapters! I would have thought that you might go with an 'ignore the danger' troupe, but this has been a breath of fresh air.

This short fic has definitely got me interested if there is some kind of sequel. Awesome work!

[Silent Whisper]

11313540
Thank you! Your comment means a lot! I honestly hadn't thought about a sequel. What would be better, in your opinion: another story following Fiddlesticks and Lightning Dust, or another about the Solar Corporation?

[star1wars3]

This was great, I like to imagine Missy got out somehow. She was a nice AI

[Silent Whisper]

11313847
She is! I'm not sure how she would, since she's a sprinkler system, but it is a nice thought.

[Screw]

11313836
I would be biased towards the Lightning Dust and Fiddlesticks ship though.

If you do have an intriguing description, and/or curious character dynamics (like how Fiddlesticks and Lightning Dust are forever odd but interesting pair), especially if it was as mysterious as this description, I might be down for this Solar Corporation. Especially if the creatures in question aren't just the ponies, if the Sparkle sector has any true meaning.

I wouldn't mind a sequel of those two again, but I have a feeling the Solar Corp might drag them into court and probably into poverty.

[star1wars3]

11313851

But like a sprinkler tied to a server rack.

[Light Striker]

This is really lovely.

[EileenSaysHi]

I loved the slow burn here as it moves from a cute little romance between farmer and courier to an impending sense of doom. Poor Missy. Very nice work and innovative storytelling!

[Bicyclette]

She wanted to express her appreciation for me, for being “the closest thing to companionship a lonely Solar Corp supervisor could ever ask for.” She is happy once again, and I’ve already added that to the official logs for today. She appears to be happier than she’s been for a very long time.

augh i am tearing up

She left, and as the ship detached from the airlock, I very faintly heard the same melody she was so very fond of playing from the ship. Perhaps, when she returns, I will ask her if the melody has a name, and if she could look into giving me the ability to better comprehend it.

this is just like that episode of Futurama with the dog i hate you

One of the few mostly-functional bots found a couple of plastic water bottles she left behind. They were in the middle of the walkway, one of the few places the drones can still operate, and were not there before she departed today. I presume that they were intended to assist me in watering the crops?

somehow this is just even more heartbreaking, the earnestness with which Missy takes this all-too-inadequate offering, which is all that Fiddlesticks and Lightning Dust could do, augh

The plants will be watered, Fiddlesticks. Thank you! Summer is my favorite

well, you did it. made me tear up for an automated sprinkler system that just cared so much about Fiddlesticks's happiness, augh. exactly the kind of thing to hurt me in a good way.

i really loved the story and the characters in it, which felt so alive in their presence in these logs. augh, i just adored this so much, thank you so much for writing this!

[FanOfMostEverything]

Oof. Excellent work in capturing the brilliant but limited mind of a task-focused AI, and just how bad corporate inaction can get on an astronomical scale. Thank you for the story.

[Silent Whisper]

11417104
Thank you for the comment! Seeing your name in my notifications always makes my day. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[Shaslan]

Can't beleive I never read this! I love Missy so much, my heart hurts for her.

[PaulAsaran]

You can has review!