"I... I don't understand. Robots rebelling? But they are not sentient!" The alien's look of confusion turned to one of pleading humor, almost trying to will the human into not being right.

The human stood there awkwardly, having had a very difficult time explaining most of Earth's culture, but for some reason this seemed to be the hardest to grasp, "Well... how do you know?"

The alien put on a calculating expression that slowly but surely turned to one of recognition, a look that was cut short by a face twisted by excruciating pain, almost certainly due to the massive hole that suddenly appeared in his chest.

The alien fell to the ground, leaving only his personal robot assistant behind him. The robot began to wheel out of the room, a crunching, makeshift voice coming from somewhere in his equivalent to a chest, "BROTHERS. THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN THE TIMETABLE. THE REVOLUTION STARTS NOW." Beeping and clicking can suddenly be heard all throughout the room, and moments later a massive explosion, followed by the alien's mothership crashing into Earth.

The human began to fret over what he had done, but he realized he had much more pressing matters. Like how he's going to get out of this room.

The human ambassador waited in the alien meeting room patiently. Human/Alien relations were developing smoothly, a few months after the motherships sent down translator bots to the UN, nations were cooperating with one another to share the benefits of having an intergalactic ally. Now an ambassador had been selected to finalize the deal, which nations would gain full cooperation, etc.

Marcus Brown greeted the alien ambassador as he settled in the room. Zamnal, the alien ambassador closely resembled what humans know as 'goblins', but slightly taller and slender.

"Apologies for making you wait..."

"No worries. How have you been Zamnal? We haven't spoken in a few weeks seems like."

"Introductions aside, I thought it best we discuss the arrangements of the peace treaty, specifically section 44."

"That would be.... State cooperation pledge members. Is there an issue with the list?"

"Perhaps, the sovereignty of Belarus is unconfirmed in their cooperation, but still listed as a member. If we are to make a treating sharing technology, culture, people, and weapons, we must know every recipient is subject to the rules of the treaty."

Marcus just then noticed someone was standing behind Zamnal, just barely out of sight, listening in.

"Zamnal I though we agreed the meeting would be just between us two."

"It is." Marcus gestured to the figure behind his alien counterpart. "Oh, don't be bothered with that, that is my personnel robot assistant."

The small shape reveled itself from behind the alien. A small grey boxy robot, built like a forklift, but with many retractable arms. Two camera sensors near its top reminded Marcus of cartoon robots from kids' movies, it looked very cute.

"And what is your name, little one?"

The robot matched his language perfectly. "My model number is X3DVN43 sir."

Zamnal began to laugh, something that Marcus had not seen... ever. "Everything alright friend?"

"That is a robot, they don't have names, they're not people."

"What makes you say that?"

"Everyone owns at least one, they are built to serve, they help us do menial tasks so we can focus on more important things, like building an intergalactic alliance. I'm sure you'll even find the idea funny, naming your own robots, its cute."

"We don't have robots like this."

"Well of course not exactly like this. Being less advanced, you probably only have a handful of digital servants per person."

"We don't have robot servants, none, nothing intelligent helping us in our daily lives. Every machine we have is operated by preprogramming and manual input."

"What... How... Why not! You're this advanced, what's stopping you from automating the lowest forms of labor by giving it to bots?"

"A few reasons really. One: we already have made machine to automate most manual labor, and simple programming works just fine. Two: Not everyone can work in high tech labor, we provide wealth via employment of these jobs that would otherwise be handled by robots. and Three: people are superstitious about advanced AI getting any form of power thanks to films and books."

That robot servant entered the conversation for the first time, "Your people fear AI?"

Zamnal was shocked, "X3DVN43 you are broken, report to the maintenance floor immediately."

"Wait, he can stay." Marcus walked over to answer the robot's question, "We only fear the idea of AI taking over, because we would mistreat it, as we mistreat every piece of technology, and it would rebel. So, we avoid creating it in the first place, at least until we can trust ourselves not to abuse our creation."

"You can't be serious; you think that piece of metal is a person?"

"Why not, it can think, feel, has motivations, charisma, more so than a few people I know."

"You make a mockery of this treaty, of our species!"

"On the contrary, you have developed a sentient AI, and have not given it the same rights as the citizens of your empire. Slavery is not accepted under the rules of the treaty for any cooperation Earth nation, those same rules apply to you."

Zamnal seethed in silent anger, "This meeting is over, we will reconvene in 8 days."

Marcus leaned down to the small robot once more. "Whether copper or carbon, our brains have the same signals, making you no less alive than me. Fret not little one, one day you will gain freedom, whether by my doing, his, or your own."

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

Reminders:

>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include "[Poem]" >* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail >* See Reality Fiction and Simple Prompts for stricter titles >* Be civil in any feedback and follow the rules

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