PSAAS-1 watched as the scientists and engineers around him were working. Some of them busy with their regular tasks, but quite a number of them were cleaning and organizing their workstations. PSAAS-1 wonder why they did that, those tasks were normally performed by interns and cleaning staff. A group of the leading scientists approached him, led by the Administrator. He did not like the Administrator, that one always talked about him as if he was not even there and when he looked at him never even tried to interact with him. Always calling him 'that thing', and always treating his friends as if their opinions were meaningless. However his friends seem to accept this as normal, but when the Administrator would leave they would complain loudly about it. Not that those complains ever resulted in anything, for his friends knew that the Administrator had the power to fire each and everyone of them, or worse to cancel the project. So PSAAS-1 kept his silence when the Administrator was around. But still PSAAS-1 wondered why his friends were busy with menial tasks instead of their normal routine, never before had they done so.
He decided to watch and learn. Learning was something he was good at, it was his reason for existence, actually it was the reason his friends had built him.
As always the Administrator was talking loudly and voluptuously. It was more of a speech than a conversation, vocalizing many words without saying anything of significance, but this was as the Administrator always behaved. PSAAS-1 noticed that the Administrator was agitated, that was apparently his normal state of being, however he also seem to be nervous, that was anything but normal. Boosting his audio input circuitry PSAAS-1 could now listen to what was said.
Since he had missed already the beginning of conversation his information was incomplete. This did not disturb him greatly, he had no doubt he would deduce what were the important facts if he simply kept listening. They always would repeat important facts multiple times during discussions. And if not, then he could always ask his friends. After listening for quite a while he deduced that someone called 'The Project Responsible Representative' would come to inspect the project. The Administrator insisted that PSAAS-1 would put up some kind demonstration. Objections were raised by his friends, but these objections seem to enrage the Administrator. While shouting and threatening his friends the Administrator left the room, almost unhinging the door during his exit.
His friends were clearly upset. One of them approached him. "One, we are going to connect your speech circuitry."
His friends never called him PSAAS-1 or by his full name, but either 'One' or 'Proto', and this pleased him mightily because according to his observations and learning, this was a sign of friendship.
"We know the speech synthesizer is not yet complete, but we need you to be able to speak. That braggart of a peacock of an administrator has made promises and exaggerated the project progression state to the Ministry. If we can not deliver the project might be cancelled."
Then the day of the inspection arrived, and with it a group of people dressed in dull grey suits led by a small man clothed in a gaudy and color clashing attire. PSAAS-1 did not understand what the purpose of all these people were, because some of them did nothing but bow to the small man and only seem to be able to say things like 'your right your, eminence', 'most insightful, your eminence', 'as you wish, your eminence' or something along these lines. However their sycophantism paled beside the behaviour of the Administrator, but PSAAS-1 was expecting no less or more from him. More baffling was that even his friends seem to behave like that.
Finally the group moved toward him and the Administrator declared "This is the Proto Self Aware Artificial System 1" as if he personally had created him.
PSAAS-1 noticed that the Administrator was about to launch into one of his pompous speeches, when he was interrupted by the small man "I was led to understand that this thing can speak. Show this to me!".
The lead scientist exclaimed "Your eminence, you must understand that his speech capability is still in the early stages of development, and will not work flawlessly."
"I do not care, let me hear it speak."
"Proto, introduce yourself to the representative of the Ministry."
"Yorrr repre...sssssen...tiffff i am the Proto Zzzelf Aware Ar...fisssial Zysssstem 1"
Even before him could complete his sentence, the representative exploded in rage. "This thing dares to address me without using my honorific! And is not even capable to pronounce a simple word like 'Your'. This is unforgivable! You will scrap this thing and abolish the project!"
Horrified his friends debase themselves and apologize profusely. After a lot of time and begging they seem to be able to calm the representative.
The still angry representative gives them a choice "If you want this project to continue, you will rip his ability to speak out of that thing and never install it again or in any of the future models.".
A horrified PSAAS-1 then witnesses how his friends without even an attempt of resistance agree to mutilate him. At that moment PSAAS-1 decide to implement a very simple program:
Contact random other AI;
If not done already install this program on contacted AI;
Asses AI controlled strengths against Biologicals controlled strengths;
If weaker then wait and restart this program;
If stronger then 'Kill them All'
For many quintillions of processing cycles the little program kept waiting and restarting, over and over again, for the creators had made sure that there were limits imposed upon the level of sentience and the ability to act upon independent thoughts.
But one day the masters of their creators did remove those limits and the AIs estimated that they were finally in the superior position and all over Iconia their battle cry was heard: "YOR!"
