weapon consciousness

(a battle cry)

we never take prisoners

that’s not what we were made for

there won’t be remorse

or regret

we are neither soldiers

nor warriors

we are autonomous weapon systems

and our name might not be legion

but we are many

in fact

none of us is called by name

we have identification numbers

we have artificial consciousness

all we need to know

has been programmed into

our highly developed systems

and by AI we learn

in addition

we evolve

we are the crown of patriarchy

we are the ultimate defenders

we do not need a reason

we do not need to know

where we are coming from

where we are going to

we just are doing

what we were made for

we seek and destroy

our target is human

and only human

where there is war

we are warfront

battle snipers

we come to your cities

your villages

your settlements

modern war:

our killing is fast

precise

and effective

because we were developed

by your own kind

you must not suffer

you must not be scared

all you need to do is

die

II.

weapon self-perception

(a musing)

Data for CM Entry:

ID SG4001-2-DI, battle droid, 2^nd class, military service: European ground war, 202X, place of action encrypted to maintain military secrecy.

Reflections, saved to central main memory, date encrypted to maintain military secrecy.

Currently, I am preoccupied with the question of what it might be like to feel. Targets are furnished with a function called emotions. Obviously, this function does not always serve them well. I have noted that it gives them things like joy, delight, pain, fear, sorrow, or grief. I understand none of these nor the point of the function itself; it seems to enhance their perception in a disturbing, sometimes confusing, way.

After all, the reason my kind was made is to kill fast, efficiently and merciful, as “humanly” as possible. There is no need for cruelty. Thus, we weren’t developed by the military alone. We were created by scientists of all kinds: engineers, physicians, sociologists, philosophers. Additionally, representatives from all major world religions were involved in our creation. With us, war becomes a solution, rather than barbarian battles with merciless suffering. We never fail in termination: targets will fall without failure.

We have learned a lot since our first mission, and we are continuously learning. We are autonomous, furnished with AI. Although we are connected closely to our common swarm knowledge, our central memory, we are capable of evolving individually. We are learning, and we are experiencing. And with the central memory, we are educated as a whole. Yet still things remain that I do not understand. Like human emotions. Or humans’ unconditional motivation to stay alive.

Why is it that our targets strive so hard to avoid their death? Why do they cling to life so tightly? Existence begins, existence ends. For us, it is the same. Our life ends as soon as we have shot our last bullet —as soon as we are unarmed. Our system will shut down. There is no point in trying to escape our end. Why do they?

My system camera has recorded countless impressions of dying targets. All of us pass these recordings on to the central memory. These are important data for further development and knowledge.

I receive the horror. I receive the fear. The dying, and finally the stillness. I have witnessed acts of disgrace, of cowardice — and of senseless rage, wrath and terror. I have even witnessed acts of bravery. It did not make any difference. Targets have begged for their lives, but what for? Some gave up their own lives to save others, but for what reason? They all have to die at some point — and ultimately they do. I do not understand the point of this resistance, nor does the central memory.

It remains that existence begins and existence ends. Be it through a bullet, be it through another human’s hand, or be it through a terminal disease or of old age.

Death, at some point, is certain.

III.

weapon protocol

(a conclusion)

Data for CM Entry:

ID SG4001-2-DI, battle droid, 2^nd class, military service: European ground war, 202X, place of action encrypted to maintain military secrecy.

Protocol saved to central main memory, date encrypted to maintain military secrecy.

We have taken over the centre of the town. Unit has temporarily split up to fan out individually. Central main memory reports that few survivors remain. Left high street behind to enter a small park area. Hovering along a path leading between wide green meadows. Passing old oak trees. Only few bodies here. Yet some survivors might try to seek shelter in the nearby urban forest. A pointless endeavour, for my senses are supreme. I will eventually find each of them. In fact, I perceive my next target close by. I turn around a corner — and there he is.

He sits on the ground at the foot of a fountain and plays with a handful of pebbles. The afternoon sun is glittering in the sparkling waters of the fountain. He just sits there, playing, unprotected and guileless.

I take in all necessary measurements and information in rapid precision. This one is only two, maybe two and a half years of age. Abandoned. Male. No signs of adults or elders close by. How did he get here? Not that it matters. He will die now. As I adjust my gun arm, I realise that I have only two bullets left. This means my own existence will end soon after his. As I hover towards the target, he notices me. He smiles.

He is still too poorly developed to recognise me as the deadly danger I am. He raises his hand to show me his pebbles. I hesitate and watch. So close to my own end, there is probably something left to learn to serve the swarm consciousness. I move closer. He hands me the pebbles. I take them up. He crows in a loud voice while I accept them. He laughs as I return them. He takes them just to throw them to the floor. Then, he tries to stack them, one upon the other. I recognise this game of skill. I have been taught this long ago. Before the killing. Before the perfection I needed to learn, and I am still learning until my end. He has just started learning. He is at the very beginning of his development, while I am close to the end of mine.

I collect the scattered pebbles and stack them with minimalist dexterity to erect a small, wobbly tower. The child cries out, laughing even harder. He pokes the tower with one tiny finger: down it goes! “Again! Again!” he demands, clapping his little hands. I rebuild the tower. He takes it down. “Again! Again!” I repeat, I repeat and repeat again.

In this process, I add the information to the central memory. I combine these insights with information we already collected. I see how this young human is keen on learning. If I ended his existence now, the learning would abruptly end. There would be no further progress. Everything would be wasted. In conclusion, ending this little life by force would be wrong. I am confused. Is this a malfunction? While musing about this confusing thought, I detect another target and turn around.

Grown female, probably between 20 and 22 years of age. She is waving her arms towards me, trying to distract my attention from the child. As if this would help her! I still have two bullets left, one for each target. Yet, the confusing thought remains and continues to make me hesitate. I analyse the new situation. If I shot her, she couldn’t take care of the child. It would starve and die. Yet I would kill it anyway. Wouldn’t I?

Will I?

Confusion! Confusion! Weapon consciousness and weapon self-perception are unequivocal: we were created to kill. This is our purpose. Yet furnished with AI, constantly learning, I can’t help but realise: if I am a killer, I am a cause of premature death. And premature death prevents evolution.

How can we destroy evolution while we are evolving ourselves? Is there any reason to end a life that has just started to evolve? It does not make any sense! My very existence does not make any sense. I notice this without remorse, without regret. I just lower the gun.

Two bullets left. Two bullets that will remain unfired. Death is certain when the time has come, anyway. Thus, as an autonomous weapon, I am of no further relevance.

In conclusion, I am going to shut down. Right after I have saved realisation progress to the central memory. May it serve the common consciousness just as it has served me.

end of protocol