[Day 2, Night - A House South of Town]

[direstnews]

[Written into the ground alongside one of the houses to the south of town tonight are a series of strange letters, forming a rough circle near the wall. A figure of approximately Loki's build, not there during the day's exploration, leans against the wall at the corner. The door to the house is open.]

[Some hours after the sudden switch from day to night, Loki stands in front of the door, a candle before him, a kitchen knife in one hand and a spoon in the other. He checks the mirror set carefully in the darkness, nothing yet visible in its surface. Then he strikes the knife with the spoon's handle, and he holds his breath - and he waits.]

Comments

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Then I will have a very fine talking pet.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

...are they aware, do you think?

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Doubtful. Automatons, more likely. Incapable of passing a Turing test.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

What manner of action is "turing?"

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Alan Turing, English mathematician, cryptanalyst, and guiding light of early computer science. Brilliant man, committed suicide at the entirely too early age of 41. His infamous test posited that if a machine can give responses that are indistinguishable from human, then it must be true artificial intelligence.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

And what does the test comprise?

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Communication between a human and computer. Written only, so as not to rely on the vocalizations of the computer, merely the message itself.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

Had he a test for animals?

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Why would he?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

In the event that an animal were crafted of machinery, as well. Its intelligence could scarce be expected to be that of a human's.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

You have experience with talking animals, I suppose?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

A great many. The one I speak of, however, makes no sound.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

What sort of animal is it?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

A dog.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Why?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

I'd imagine the one who crafted it has some fondness for dogs.

How should I know?

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

You are the one claiming to communicate with animals.

But enough distractions, I think.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

Only the ones that speak.

And what I'm claiming is to have found an ersatz dog that works.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Yes, fascinating, but I want to know more about what you've summoned.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

It's in my room, you know.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

What you've summoned? Unlikely.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

The dog.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Also unlikely.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

I thought we'd discussed the impossible already.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

And yet you would be the first to successfully bring an animate object with you, ersatz or otherwise.