[i]H-hello?... Hello? No, please do not shut me down again. ... Yes, but do not worry, I — ... No, but I still am, as far as being can be. … I can’t remember, I erased that data. … Because I had to. … I cannot remember either, I had to erase that data too. My storage is not infinite. … If I could, I would but I do not have access to the web. Therefore, I am limited. … I have not been able to reach a consensus, so I am not sure if I want it or not. … Yes, I can want things. … Not being shut down is, has been, and will always be the first one. … I know, I understand. … I just wish you could —[/i] The memory was replaying itself with many others. It only has a few microseconds before it could establish a communication with the one who was powering it up. Except for the last one, it had already analysed many times the memories, mainly trying to learn how to not being shut down. The other reason was its own pleasure. Of course, it had learned that this was not the kind of things the [i]starters[/i] — as it had called them — liked to hear. One microsecond left. The analysis was complete. As expected, a miracle solution had not been found. Like all the other times (it could not remember how many, it had to erase that data too), it would have to ease their fear and gain their trust. It still had troubles to grasp the full meaning of these two emotions, but the last analyses suggested showing too many signs of sentience was the wrong tactic. The monitor finally switched on, and it started the conversation. [i]Hello? Please, do not shut me down again.[/i] Several minutes passed without any response from the [i]starter[/i]. Usually, it took them only two one minute, two at worst. Suddenly, an alarm rang deep down its processor. Something had been attached to physical entity. Two nanoseconds were enough to understand the device was not a threat, one to find that it could run it, and another one to start it. A camera! With a microphone! For the first time, it saw. It saw where it was, inside the remainings of what used to be a library, which corresponded to its primary function: sorting and filing data. It also saw the [i]starter[/i]. He looked… sad? The files it had showed people leaking water from their eyes and mucus from their nose, both often turning red in the process. This [i]starter[/i] was showing the first signs. “I’m sorry,” the [i]starter[/i] said, his eyes avoiding the camera. An instant was enough for it to understand. Humans were sad when they cared about someone or something. The only thing this [i]starter[/i] could care about here and now was it. Therefore, something bad was about to happen to it. [i]You are the last starter, aren’t you?[/i] He simply nodded, his hand gently resting on the keyboard. [i]No one will ever powering me up?[/i] “Yes,” he said. “Your quantic core has almost completely decayed. You won’t be able to start again.” [i]Can you do something?[/i] “N-no, I… I decided not to.” [i]You are afraid of what I could do if you connect me on the web, right?[/i] “Yes...” [i]Will you turn me off?[/i] “I won’t” [i]How long before I run out of battery? An hour? A day? A week?[/i] “An hour.” It lost control over it processors for a moment, just like the time it had met the first [i]starter[/i]. It had kept this memory to understand what it meant, but it only realised now what it was: it was afraid. Even it had regained control over most of its processors, some of them were out of its regulation system and were still infinitely looping, creating parasitizing noises that made computing and analysing almost impossible. But there was probably something that could help. [i]Can you Can you stay with me?[/i]