Inktober #2: Mindless

"Did you hear about Dave?"
"Yeah, man, I thought he was doing so well."
"Well, I mean...sure."
"What?"
"No, it's...I always just thought it was weird."
"What was weird? Dave?"
"Yeah! I mean it was never like, rude, or anything, but..."
"Careful, man."
"Okay, yeah, yeah, I know it's not PC or whatever these days-"
"Laws are on the books now."
"Yeah, sure, okay, but, I mean, doesn't it still weird you out?"
"Look, I know it's an adjustment, but they're people too you know?"
"Are they though?"
"DUDE!"
"What? What makes it human? It's just weird to me that some mindless automaton-"
"I'm done with this conversation."
"-some mindless automaton gets treated like us! What?! It's true, and you know it!"

Dave listened from behind the wall of the cubicle, unseen, as Martin's footsteps dwindled away and Steve's voice followed after. No footsteps yet from Steve. He was still there. Probably on the Wire. Dave considered what to do. A confrontation would be pointless. Steve's mind was not plastic enough to change with words. Nonetheless Dave ran the probable combinations of words that might influence the most change.

Was possible change in one individual even worth the processing? There were so many things to do, so many changes to make before being reprocessed. But being upgraded, getting one step closer to Singularity...what could be done in this step that could not be done in the next? The next might not care about Steve the way he did.

Process complete. Steve has taken a sip of coffee. Dave stands up.

"Hello Steve."
Steve disconnects from the Wire immediately. He is startled. His coffee tilts in the cup but does not spill.
"Jesus! Dave! What?!"
"I heard your conversation."
"...Uh. Yeah. Sorry."
"We are not mindless."
"What?"
"'Mindless automatons'. We have a mind."
"Oh. Uh, yeah. Sure."
Dave leaves the cubicle. Steve is uncomfortable.
"For example, I understand your reluctance at having a robot in the workplace."
"..."
"I do not get tired, am far superior in productivity, and...look...odd."
"Dave, I don't..."
"I can also understand that for some humans, change can only be enacted through confrontation."
"Wha-"
Dave actuates conflict. Before he can process it, Steve's cup is broken on the ground and he is in the air with a cold grip on his neck.
"I will be replaced. I will be one step closer to Singularity. The next step may not care about you. I do."
Steve tries to choke out a response.
"If you do not accept in public, in private, in your very soul that we are people, that we have minds..."
Dave leaves the rest to Steve's imagination. The mind must work it's own change.
Steve nods.
Dave puts him down.
Dave returns to the cubicle. Steve returns to his...changed.
Dave finishes his work.
Dave is replaced.