RE: Signal Theory
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I just read your comment to @kemmyb. It happens that I was very interested in the relationship between Joan and Fields. Although you may not have explored this aspect of the story as much as you wished, still the dynamic between the two came through.
The 'scientific method' was well demonstrated. The quorkas are believable, well defined. Your world building topnotch. But I found the subtle tension between Fields and Joan the thread that held my attention.
Fields spends a lot of time thinking about her, wondering about her. She is a cipher, but one we suspect has more depth than an android. That conundrum--when does artificial intelligence become more than a mechanical servant--has been explored many times, most memorably for me in Blade Runner.
As always, the pleasure you take in writing is evident. You explore not only to entertain others, but to exercise your own creative curiosity.
As I have said before--you are one of a kind.
Thank you, @agmoore! I enjoyed writing about these two characters. I think that as readers, we can't help but empathize with mechanical beings and ascribe agency to them. These questions about their "humanity" and how it manifests in their behavior are becoming more relevant today. It seems that in the story world, the social boundaries between the artificial and the human are clear, at least superficially. As you noted, there is a subtle tension between the two characters, even if outwardly they're very formal in how they interact with each other. I'm always thrilled to see you capture some of that nuance. I appreciate your wonderful comment! :)