Librarian 3282 was correlating data on the circulean race for professor Sventi when it noticed the guests outside.  It opened a portal and allowed them passage inside.  It continued to  perform its duties optimally as it systematically organized and filtered out unnecessary information.  The piconite mesh of the pair had requested access to enter the building in order to ask a specific question that was not generalizable nor utilized by the average city dweller or visitor.   Librarian 3282 did not discover anything out of the ordinary in regards to the request, so the librarian granted them access.

The two visitors soon entered and approached it.  The piconite mesh that contacted Librarian 3282 appeared as a short gray haired biped.  Next to it was a slightly taller green-skinned valerite.   Once the piconite mesh came close to the librarian, it turned around to face the valerite.

“Kai.  This is the librarian for this area.”

The piconite mesh then faced Librarian 3282.

“Hi. My name is Yuni.  My friend Kai has a few questions for you, so I hope you can help us.”

Librarian 3282’s proficiency clusters detected many inefficiencies with the statement made by the short haired piconite mesh.  First, its nickname was unnecessary.  It was a piconite mesh, so sharing its nickname was insignificant relative to knowing its assigned name that described its role.  Additionally communication that could be done electronically was done verbally.  The librarian concluded that the reason behind the use of an unreliable low bandwidth method of data transfer over a more secure means was likely chosen to keep the valerite informed of the discussion.  Also the qualification of word friend was unneeded, piconite meshes exist to complete assigned tasks, serve managers and do not have friends.  The word hope was marked as likely unnecessary as well.  If the question asked was reasonable and the librarian could retrieve the relevant data, it typically provided the correct answer close to 99.999% of the time.

Oddly, the sensors on Librarian 3282 detected a change in the valerite’s heartbeat when a smile appeared on its face.  It smiled when the piconite mesh said that it was a friend.  This oddity raised a minor warning from the observation clusters deep within Librarian 3282.  It stored the warning and continued the discussion.

“I am Librarian 3282 and I am here to assist you.  Pleasantries are unneeded as I am just performing my function.  Please state your question concisely as it will help me process your request.”

The valerite informed Librarian 3282 that it was in fact not a valerite, but a reconstituted valerite derivative that was a research specimen.  After the librarian analyzed the valerite derivative’s passport the librarian confirmed its status as a valerite-derivative, its name, owner and status as a pet.  They then started a discussion with a challenging topic.    The pet then wanted to know how to change its lifeform classification to Species.

Librarian 3282 then provided the answer to the valerite derivative.  The answer was clear and concise.  The pet needed to participate in The Game.  Not only did it need to survive, but it had to perform extremely well in order to have its lifeform reclassified into Species.  However after it provided a sufficient answer, it received unexpected information from the piconite mesh identified as Yuni.

“Correction.  He is not alone, we were born together and we are friends.”

Librarian 3282 found the statement odd.  Piconite meshes do not have friends, but that was the second use of the term friend.  Additionally, the piconite mesh said that they were born together.  Piconites were not born, they were made and formatted at a factory.  The Yuni piconite mesh was making very unusual comments that triggered another warning within the librarian so it responded immediately in an attempt to correct its misguided behavior.

“You are a piconite mesh.  You can not be considered a lifeform or a Species.” responded Librarian 3282.  

While the valerite-derivative was busy internally processing the information related to lifeform reclassification into a Species, the Yuni piconite mesh contacted Librarian 3282 electronically.

> Thank you for your help.

> The thank you is unnecessary.  I performed my duties as designed.

The librarian noted that the Yuni piconite mesh still behaved extraneously.  It had sent a thank you message that was only useful when interacting with lifeforms as the behavior was customary.  It was inefficient and unnecessary for a conversation between piconite meshes.  Librarian 3282 then started a series of background tasks to analyze the behavior of the Yuni piconite mesh in order to determine if it required recalibration.  One of the tertiary roles of a librarian was to report suspicious activities to higher authorities; however, that only occurred after a serious violation was observed or when enough data was gathered that allowed the predictive clusters within to conclude with high likelihood that a serious violation of accepted protocol will occur.

The valerite-derivative then asked the librarian a question regarding a specific player of The Game.  After significant filtering of audio, video, news and chat data regarding The Game, the librarian provided a concise and sufficient answer.  The valerite-derivative looked slightly troubled, but after a few moments it seemed like itself again and asked one last question before leaving. 

“Where can I find equipment for The Game?  I am compatible with band 2 and band 3 equipment.”

Suddenly warnings appeared, several situational analysis clusters found deep within Librarian 3282 concluded that the piconite mesh named Yuni was behaving abnormally and could possibly be defective.  According to protocol, this abnormality needed to be reported up the chain of command.  However, since it was currently processing the valerite-derivatives request, it temporarily lowered the priority of the warnings and postponed reporting of the situation.  The priority change triggered a warnings cascade that caused the librarian's internal processing to become slightly inefficient.

"You can find common equipment used by players in commercial district area 23. There are a plethora of stores in the district, several of which should solve your needs."

"Tight!  A whole district dedicated to The Game’s wares.  That's good to know. My friend and I will head over to CDA-23.”

“Commercial district area 23 is not tight since there is ample room to move about.”

Yuni then responded to clarify the librarian's misunderstanding of Kai’s figurative words and use of his home world’s slang.

“My friend’s interjection is figurative.  It’s an expression that acknowledges and accentuates the usefulness of the information provided in your response.”

The librarian’s predictive cluster began to check for analytical errors.  The customer service support cluster had failed to translate the figurative term, yet clarification was provided by a piconite mesh that should not be able to translate figurative speech since it did not contain a customer service cluster.  The customer service cluster was a highly specialized module that was only installed on select piconite meshes that interacted daily with a high volume of lifeforms like Librarian 3282.

After the librarian settled itself, it clarified the valerite-derivatives mispronunciation of the district's name.

“The stores you seek are located in commercial district area 23 and not CDA-23.”

“Yeah, I know.  But I don’t like long and cumbersome names since I find it easy to forget.  So I renamed it.  I find it more efficient.  Same meaning, less data.  Consider it my form of data compression.”

The librarian analyzed its statement.  For a pet, its words surprisingly held some merit.  It was indeed more efficient, especially for a high volume data processing entity like the librarian.  Librarian 3282 stored the new suggestion as information that required further analysis.

“Once again thanks for your help. Yuni, let's go."

"Yes Kai."

The piconite mesh named Yuni nodded and began to follow the valerite-derivative away.

Librarian 3282 began to re-examine the interaction between it and the pair and became flustered.  The clusters within the librarian were generating unusual data.  This was likely due to analyzing the Yuni piconite mesh’s odd behavior.  Therefore it decided to perform a self-investigation and stabilize its internal system before reporting the incident up the chain of command.

After analysis the librarian concluded that two things likely caused its analytical and sensory processing clusters to react unexpectedly.  

First, Librarian 3282 had observed that the piconite mesh had a name.  Though unusual, a similar situation had occurred in the past and was reported by another librarian.  The higher authorities concluded that the situation was not a threat.  However upon deeper analysis, the way the piconite mesh and valerite interacted did not seem like the common behavior between a pet or manager and a piconite mesh. 

Second, The valerite-derivative acted like the Yuni piconite mesh’s genuine biological friend and not the manager of a tool.  Librarian 3282 had interacted with many Species and Races in the Modus. They usually asked questions of it and it provided them with useful answers.  However, when these visitors brought friends they were all from Races, Species or other living things.  Never a piconite.  They had all treated their piconite meshes as tools and never conducted their interactions in a genuinely friendly tone.  Nor had there been any piconite mesh that repeatedly reiterated that it had a friend.

Librarian 3282 analyzed and speculated why the valerite-derivative could have considered the piconite mesh to be a friend.   There was a high likelihood that it suffered from a disorder where it could not differentiate between tools and lifeforms.   However, the librarian’s sensors determined that the valerite was quite healthy, though the librarian could not rule out the possibility of mental instability. 

Suddenly Librarian 3282’s internal integrity cluster informed it to clarify the situation otherwise it would have to immediately report the odd behavior to the central authorities.  The librarian’s puzzle solver cluster created an opportunity.  Then the valerite suddenly stopped and walked over to a large holographic panel.  It began to watch a live stream of a personality talking about her favorite wardrobe while commenters spammed the chat channel.

Librarian 3282 took the initiative and gathered more information.

"Yuni that is your name correct?  How did you become friends?  What is a friend?"

"I am Kai's friend.  We have been friends since we incubated together.  However, being a friend is more than sharing mutual affection with someone that has a common bond with you. For instance we trust and help one another.  We do things together and yet we do not order each other to do so.  We make suggestions to one another.  We complete requests for each other because we want to help the other.   A friend is neither a manager or a tool.  And most importantly, before we decide to accept and perform a request we can ask why we must do it.  And a friend can always choose to do it or not.  This is my best available definition; however, I am still learning how to be a friend."

For the librarian the response was more complicated than its predictive clusters had expected.  A series of analytical clusters began to explore the statement and immediately began second order analysis of the newly provided data.

What is a friend?  What is a friend to a piconite mesh?

The librarian’s cluster knew the literal definition; however, it still did not understand how it applied to a piconite mesh.  So it triggered its data collection and analytical clusters to answer the question.  It reprioritized resources in order to expedite the resolution for the question.  It needed more time, so it once again postponed reporting the situation as it was still unable to determine the grade of the security risk.

In the past, the librarian had collected data on unusual situations so reprioritizing those functions was not considered an unusual behavior.   As its systems began to analyze the situation in order to find an efficient path forward and determine a satisfactory strategy, Yuni asked it an unusual question.

“Would you like to be my friend? My mom said that it is okay to make friends with nice people that are helpful.”

“I am a librarian.  I am not one of the Races nor am I one of the Species. I am a piconite mesh construct that serves a functional purpose for society.  As a tool there is no additional benefit to you if I am your friend.  You can just order me to answer a question since it is my duty to perform it.”

“I can, but I would not do it.  I would not order you to do something.  So, why can't we be friends?  Even piconite meshes can be friends with each other and with other lifeforms.  Yuni can help you understand what a friend means, but it will take time that Yuni does not have today.  However, Yuni has determined a sufficient solution for you that will allow us to become friends.  If you provide access to your data input stream, Yuni will transfer the missing knowledge to you in the form of a data cluster.  Do you accept this proposal?”

As a librarian, it collected, analyzed and deduced patterns in data that supported the conclusive answers it provided to its customers.   Therefore the librarian contained many clusters that could be used to analyze, interrogate and safely evaluate Yuni’s data cluster.  Additionally as one of the most advanced data processing piconite meshes, librarians possessed internal systems that contained one of the strongest security cluster firewall architectures ever made.  It was designed to prevent unexpected contamination and damage that might occur when the piconite mesh performed detailed analysis on foreign data in both digital and physical forms.

“I will accept the cluster.”

Therefore Librarian 3282 decided to receive the new cluster.  Unlike digital data, a piconite cluster was a real physical object.  So a physical portal was opened on the side of the librarian’s sphere through which Yuni inserted a microscopic cluster dot.

“I have received the data. I will begin analysis to understand this friend cluster that you have provided.  If it is determined that this new cluster is beneficial to the Modus, you and your manager will receive a significant reward.”

“I do not need a reward since I just wanted to make a new friend.”

“What’s going on Yuni?"

Yuni turned around when the valerite-derivative spoke.  He was done watching the stream.

“I just made a friend.”

“Oh, that's nice. I'm glad you made a friend.”

The librarian did not respond and just observed, its clusters were busy analyzing the new data cluster.  

The two turned and walked toward the exit but before they left, Yuni stopped and turned around to say one last thing to Librarian 3282.

“Yuni will stop by again before we leave the city.  Yuni is glad we became friends.”

Librarian 3282 tried to understand that statement but failed.  Its multitude of processing clusters, protocols and analytical modules lacked the necessary capabilities to process friendship.  Thus, Librarian 3282 reassigned some of the foreground tasks and allocated more resources to analyze Yuni’s data cluster.  It then proceeded to store all relevant information gathered during the unusual encounter.   The librarian then resumed what it normally did and began to observe and answer questions from nearby and remote customers.

Librarian 3282 continued its duties as several clusters within it started to communicate with the new cluster.  The analytical clusters began to determine what the new cluster did and calculate how it could be used to improve the librarian’s understanding of how to be a friend.  And when the librarian’s piconite clusters asked the new cluster what function it provided, it informed the analytical clusters that its role was Why.  The librarian was unfamiliar with the role of the new cluster.  However, it concluded that once the librarian had integrated the new cluster, it would enable the librarian with a new and likely formidable data analyzing capability, the ability to ask why.