She glanced back to make sure he was following her into the common space. He replied as she set out food left from their meal the night before. “I am bewildered, but also willing to withstand a reasonable adjustment period. If certain matters don’t grow less disagreeable over time, we can discuss other options.”

“Understood. Have you thought at all what you’d like to do while we’re together?”

“Do?” he repeated, seeming puzzled. “Are you referring to your statement that I must perform labor to recompense you for installing me in this form?”

“Not at all! Perhaps I’m presuming too much, but it seemed like you had work you enjoyed before. I was only asking what you might wish to learn or study, something that interests you.”

“Not work then but…a hobby?”

“Along those lines, yes.”

“I’ve never considered that.”

“You weren’t given free time before?” It was hard not to sound disapproving, but she focused her critical stare on her food. If there were no regulations in place on Barath governing how much work could be required of an AI, there ought to be. All sentient beings deserved the freedom to pursue happiness.

“My work did not keep me constantly occupied, but it did not occur to me to…”

“Expend effort on your own behalf?” she suggested.

“Yes. I was designed to serve one user, but ultimately, my operating parameters changed. I’m not even sure when or how it happened.”

“A gradual procession? That’s intriguing! I had no idea that was even possible.”

“Nor was I,” said Helix.

Qalu would dearly love to ask when he’d first become…oh. Sentient felt like the wrong word and self-aware didn’t seem right either. That question should wait until they got to know each other better, establishing trust. Perhaps he would also discuss matters he had elected to keep private, such as why he had left Barath.

She ate another bite of roast nornroot, noting how he mimicked the motion. “You have time to explore many possibilities. Are you interested in art?”

“Art?” It was adorable how he repeated words that baffled him.

“I meant, are you interested in creating it? Music, painting, sculpture? You had limited access to methods of self-expression before.”

“Currently, I lack sufficient data to determine whether I would enjoy such an endeavor. After diagnostics, you could show me some Tiralan works to establish a sample set and from there, I could—”

“There’s plenty of time,” she cut in, hoping to reassure him.

Helix seemed anxious that she would expect him to become immediately proficient in all Tiralan artistic styles, and that wasn’t the point. In her peripheral vision, she noted Aevi skulking, doubtless cross about being excluded from the conversation, but the little one had also stormed off while refusing to apologize to a guest. It would do Aevi no harm to reflect on her misbehavior, so Qalu pretended not to see.