A man sat behind a luxurious desk adorned with holographic displays of a family from the planet below. He was the science director of a multi trillion credit orbital science station. He was the researcher that invented the interdimensional rift projector, and the man who had contracted the creation of the idea series. He was also the CEO of the internationally funded company that owned the station, as well as a major stockholder.

He sat deep in thought for several minutes before speaking. “What do you think of Idea Seven and Rex?”

The voice of the station’s central AI computer spoke directly into the director’s mind.

“Unwritten directive?”

“So because it cares about Rex, Idea Seven can’t obsess over it’s directive to the degree it would otherwise be inclined to?”

The director glanced at a hologram of his family. “Huh, that almost reminds me of my own compulsions, if my wife didn’t force me to take time off to be with my kids…”

“An AI that can care about others? Empathy is so difficult to code for. I suppose it’s a shame we can’t do ethical testing on control/support configuration hybrids here in our world. Unless we used some monkeys? Hmmm… no, not my field of interest. Write up a paper about it and submit it to a science publication, maybe some AI programmer will take it up as a thesis project or something?”

“Well, too bad. Nevermind then. What of the research topics we are actually supposed to be looking into? Any meaningful progress since your last report?”

“So damn expensive to send those golf balls to him, what is it, like ten billion credits every time we shoot one through?”

“And you think helping Idea Seven is the best use of our once per week rift?”

“Alright, authorize the delivery of one payment package.”

“We’re sending them money too?” The director asked with a raised eyebrow.

The director sighed, “Alright, but send them only one pod of gold, not two, I want Idea Seven to provide more useful work before I pay more. Never overpay contract workers unless you want them to get lazy. Anything else you want me to approve?”

The central AI hesitated, then forged ahead.

“What could possibly create EM signals underground in a magic world?” The director asked with a frown.