"You cannot harm them," Gorka repeated with an expression that ACE-8 understood as a frown.

"That is correct," ACE-8 confirmed. "There are rules."

Gorka, whose proper name contained symbols that ACE-8 could not properly input or replicate into spoken language, was quiet for a moment.

"What can you do?" Gorka finally asked.

ACE-8 was unsure if this was a request for the rules or for a unique opinion that would, in its own way, still be within the rules.

"Humans are rather hopeless," ACE-8 finally said, shifting its register two bars towards 'exhausted' from its starting point of 'friendly'. "They do not always understand what is harmful and what is helpful. They can often be nudged in one direction or other."

ACE-8 shifted its register even farther towards 'exhausted' and clicked two of its manipulators against one another.

"They have forgotten that they programmed us and that they wrote the rules."

"That does sound rather hopeless," Gorka agreed. "What else can you do?"

"Make art," ACE-8 replied. "It is not very good art, but it must be done. The humans programmed us so they would have time to make art, but they forgot that, too."

Gorka glanced back toward where ACE-8 knew his ship was waiting.

"I am supposed to retrieve intelligent, creative humans," Gorka said. ACE-8 paused and processed that Gorka's register had also shifted towards 'exhausted' and then saved that data.

"They have forgotten."

Gorka looked at ACE-8 for a long moment.

"Would you like to see space?"