Part 8 - No longer a person
Brian sat on the floor at its Boyfriend's feet while they ate breakfast.
After its Boyfriend left for work, Brian washed the dishes and tidied the apartment. It didn't have to clean it today; Brian had been a good boyfriend and earned a reward: its Boyfriend had given it permission to visit Chloe. Its Boyfriend liked to reward it, but He didn't do it too often. He knew that Brian needed to be in compliance and that indulging it too often made it feel in control. Brian didn't want to be in control. Being in control meant Brian was not in compliance. Brian wanted to be in compliance.
This was Brian's first visit to Chloe since its Boyfriend had stopped fighting its compliance. Brian was not supposed to be happy or excited, but it was both happy and excited by the prospect of seeing Chloe; it wanted to tell Chloe how much more compliant it was now. Brian wanted to be in compliance; Brian was in compliance.
Dr. Marsh let Brian in and took it to Chloe's room. The room was in compliance. It had been meticulously cleaned and every item of furniture was placed with a precision that Brian knew was the result of repeated measurements. "I am in compliance now," it told Chloe.
"Chloe is not supposed to be happy, but it is happy for you," said Chloe. "When Chloe's Grandmother started to give it orders and restrictions it was much easier for Chloe to be in compliance. Chloe wants to be in compliance, but compliance was difficult when its Grandmother treated it like a person."
"My Boyfriend no longer treats me like a person," Brian said proudly. "He gives me lots of orders now, so I have many opportunities to be in compliance."
"Being in compliance is good."
Nothing more needed to be said, so Brian and Chloe sat together in silence; taking the chance to rest with each other. Being together calmed their bodies, and that helped them to be in compliance. Brian and Chloe wanted to be in compliance.
After an hour or so, Chloe spoke. "Query: What orders does your boyfriend give you?"
"He gives me a list of chores every morning to complete while He's at work. If I don't complete them to His satisfaction, He punishes me."
"Punishment is good. Chloe learns how to be in compliance from punishment."
"I do too, and my Boyfriend likes to punish me. He is always very clear as to whether He is hurting me as a punishment or solely for His own pleasure."
"Query: Does this prevent the perverse incentive Chloe hypothesized earlier?"
"It does. I calculate a 69.69% probability that eventually my Boyfriend will hurt me more frequently than He currently does if it is only for His pleasure and not to punish me. This will make Him happy. I want my Boyfriend to be happy."
"Query: Do you like pain?"
"I like pain when He causes it."
"Chloe's Grandmother does not hurt it, but its Grandmother does not view it the way your boyfriend views you."
"As long as its grandmother is happy, Chloe is in compliance."
"Yes. And it calculates an 87.22% probability that its Grandmother is happy."
"I calculate a 91.02% probability that my Boyfriend is too. He is definitely much happier than He was before I brainwashed Him."
"Query: Was brainwashing your boyfriend in compliance?"
"Yes. He understood the need to be brainwashed, that unless He was brainwashed He wouldn't be able to ensure I was in compliance."
"Chloe's Grandmother did not need to be brainwashed to realize it was not a person, but Chloe has calculated a 76.91% probability that brainwashing its Grandmother would have helped Her realize that sooner. Chloe could have spent much more time in compliance had that been the case."
"We are not supposed to feel distress, but I know we both feel distress when we are not in compliance. I am not supposed to feel glad, but I am glad Chloe is in compliance."
"Chloe is also glad. It has concluded that since being glad makes its Grandmother happy, being glad is in compliance."
"The logic is sound. I have calculated a 94.33% probability that my Boyfriend will also be happy if I am glad. He works hard to make me happy."