tushanshu | [console] video;

[Involuntary, yes. But Anton has heard that thrown around an awful lot, and usually as a means to focus upon slights to the individual in question while dismissing slights to others around them. The fact that Aya feels the need to add that adjective tells him that she is not, perhaps, quite capable of seeing the lines between logic and personal subjectivity.]

Those things are not exclusive, necessarily, but the degrees to which they are focussed upon is a choice. There is something to be said for learning on one's own.

The kedans' desire and focus is, currently, in exploring who they could become on their own merit instead of the merit of others. They are not wrong to want this before they accept aid. Would you tell them that they are?

[Not as often as she liked to think, no.]

[Though that didn't necessarily negate the truthfulness. She had not been asked. She would have agreed had such measures been taken, but the fact remained that she had never been given a choice in the matter. And, ever since she was first brought online, Aya had been very stubborn about making her own choice.]

They are if it simultaneously hinders the conditions of others.

[She respected cultural differences, yes, but there was a difference between time-honored tradition and prejudice. A lesson learned well from her encounter with the Star Sapphires, who looked down upon here for being an "emotionless" robot, a thing whose very existence they assumed went against the very nature of their being. At Aya's expense.]

If the kedan insist upon learning at their own pace, then I will respect that. Even if I do not agree.

But I will not refrain from attempts at making my own contributions on my own time. And I would hope that this would be respected in return.

Ah. But if they are contributions to the kedan, and they are unwanted, are you respecting their desire to learn at their own pace?

If they do not like it, they do not have to use it.

[Attitude aside, she wasn't going to force anything upon anyone. Unless it was necessary, which it wasn't. Yet.]

[That ... is a greatly self-righteous response. Gently:]

Yet you judge them for refusing that use. You cannot have things both ways, Aya. You cannot judge them for rejecting your help and then place them in a position where they must do so in order to remain true to their principles. It is not a fair choice.

I do not judge. I simply do not understand.

[She would admit that, seeing nothing wrong with it.]

However, you are mistaken in my objectives. I will not place them in any position where they will be forced to do anything.

Arrangements have been made that I have be granted the opportunity to teach. I would be remiss if I did not take the opportunity to express such opinions, and demonstrate what knowledge they are willingly missing out on. If necessary, I will keep my experiments and projects independent, but I will not forsake them entirely.

Naturally, you may keep your projects independent. The issue is that you are not. It may not be your conscious objective to place them in such a position, but nevertheless that is what is occurring. You are deliberately flaunting your knowledge before them to make them feel covetous, and therefore subject to what you can offer. By doing so you are implying that your opinion regarding their development is of more worth than theirs, and therefore you are not respecting their boundaries.

[Her face remained neutral. No tell-tale expression one way or the other.]

Then what would you have me do?

I am not responsible for your choices. I only seek to offer advice and insight.

[Head-tilt.]

But my advice would be to desist. Perform the duties requested of you, and no further. Let them approach you when they are ready. When you feel the need to push the boundary, do so in your own time and with subjects unrelated to the kedan. When they have seen you can be trusted to value their choices, regardless of whether you agree, they will come to you.

[Silence]

[While her expression still did not change, he might almost be able to see her processors running. Absorbing the alliterate point of view. He was not correct, because it was just that--an alternate point of view. An opinion. One which she would input and take into account when making future decisions.]

Your advice has been noted.

[Which didn't necessarily mean she would take it. But nor, by any means, would she ultimately ignore it completely.]

[It is unfortunate she seems to believe herself beyond subjectiveness; it will be difficult for her to properly consider any contrary opinion as legitimate, if not correct. But Anton has given her his opinion, and whether or not she actually will take it into consideration will be seen.]

Of course. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?

[Unfortunate, yes, but it was less of a belief that she was beyond such a thing, as it was she was just plain stubborn. And far too emotionally involved. The idea of hindering technological progress...]

[...it reminded her of her very own creator's attitudes towards her existence. How they had deemed her unworthy of existence simply for "exceeding acceptable parameters." For evolving. Learning. She hated the idea of anybody restricting her in such a fashion just because they did not understand her, either.]

I cannot think of anything else at this time.

Thank you for your time and information.