Artificial Condition

Murderbot, aware that it is “programmed to be paranoid” (101), finds a safe shuttle to get Rami, Tapan, and Maro off RaviHyral. Eventually, it finds a shuttle with a human pilot who could step in if someone again interfered with the navigation computer. Tapan is upset that they didn’t retrieve their research, and all three humans are startled by Murderbot’s response that “you just have to survive and go on” (103).

When the three humans depart, Murderbot remains at the mining facility, since it has unfinished business. As Murderbot travels to Ganaka Pit, it feels uneasy about its performance for Rami, Tapan, and Maro. It is glad that it kept them alive but disappointed that it couldn’t help them reclaim their research from Tlacey. Murderbot travels far into RaviHyral’s abandoned tunnels looking for Ganaka Pit, so deep below the surface that it loses its communication with ART.

Murderbot finds Ganaka Pit dusty and long abandoned. In the ready room, it finds 10 SecUnit cubicles and experiences an “intense feeling” at finding all 10 empty (109). Looking for information about the violence that took place there, Murderbot plugs itself into the control center and finds security recordings from shortly before the incident.