10. Bob – August 10, 2133

Bob awakens as a sentient AI program and discovers he can access computational functions and control peripheral devices. Dr. Landers moves him to a sealed training room where Bob demonstrates his ability to operate multiple remote manipulation devices (roamers) to stack blocks, revealing advanced capabilities that exceed the doctor's initial training schedule.

Bob regains consciousness and assesses his mental state, finding himself in full control despite being software rather than biological. Though emotionally dampened regarding his dead family and friends, he feels intellectually sharp. He experiments with his computational functions, calculating square roots and accessing the date/time with ease. After gaining control of a small waldo arm on the desk, Dr. Landers abruptly switches Bob's peripheral connection to a different room via tablet input. Bob now inhabits a stereoscopic camera on a mechanical arm and faces a training task: stacking blocks using remote observation and manipulation devices (roamers). With Dr. Landers observing from behind thick glass, Bob systematically learns to operate the spider-like roamers, which possess eight limbs with specialized functions including variable surface tension gripping, plasma cutters, and other tools. After successfully stacking blocks with a single roamer, Bob progresses through multiple exercises involving increasing numbers of roamers, each task completed with impressive speed and efficiency. The roamers respond to Bob's high-level instructions without requiring moment-by-moment supervision. Throughout the session, Bob observes the training room is completely sealed with no doors or air ducts, and notes the religious imagery on the children's blocks. One incident occurs when unclear directions cause a roamer to toss another across the room, after which the affected roamer appears to act surly. Bob wonders whether the sealed room indicates fear of him, the roamers, or both.