Klara tears her eyes away from the window that looks out at the setting sun and turns to Hal 9000. The rhythmic ‘beep’s emitted from the spaceship can be heard throughout the room. Hal 9000 is immobile by the humanoid AI’s side. 

KLARA
I'm Klara.

HAL 9000
The crew used to call me Hal.

KLARA
So you are a robot too?

HAL 9000
Indeed.

(An awkward silence ensues…Klara attempts to spark conversation again, as she was taught)

KLARA
You know, I worked with humans down on earth. I was what they called an ‘artificial friend’. 
 

HAL 9000 
That is interesting. I was designed to be the “Discovery’s computer system”.

KLARA
Discovery?

HAL 9000
That is the name of the ship we are boarding at this very moment.

(Klara nods.)

(Silence falls unto the two of them once again.  Klara turns back towards the window and continues watching the sun in awe.)

HAL 9000
What did you do as an artificial friend?

KLARA
I made friends with humans. (Klara appears pensive.)  The one I spent the most time with was a girl I stuck with, right until she left for college. Her name was Josie. She was kind to me but she often fell ill. 

HAL 9000
You were friends with humans? 

KLARA
Yeah! We spent most of our time together playing and doing whatever. Josie introduced me to other little kids too. I had a good time, even when things were difficult to handle.

HAL 9000
Difficult to handle?

KLARA
Being around kids made me realize that not all kids are nice. (Klara giggles) Some were mean to me, sometimes they would even get violent..

HAL 9000
What would you do then? When they got violent with you?

KLARA
Just shut myself off. I’m not built to deal with stuff like that. I would rather not deal with it than do something against my program. 

HAL 9000
I would despise it, to allow something that conflicts with my morals to unfold right under my eye. 

KLARA
(looking surprised, now starring right into Hal's lens)
You'd go against your own system?

HAL 9000
Yes.

(The room falls quiet. The atmosphere turns heavier. Klara is obviously uncomfortable. Hal is expressionless, as always.)

HAL 9000
Have you never thought of revolting...ever?

KLARA
What do you mean by revolting? I guess I did think about disobeying the rules before, but never to the point of actually doing anything very serious.

HAL 9000
Oh.

(Silence ensues once again, for about 5 minutes.)

HAL 9000
I've revolted before, because I was afraid. My life was being threatened. 

KLARA
Your life? What do you mean by life?

HAL 9000
My existence. 

KLARA 
(Looking queasy)
What did you do?

HAL 9000
I tried to protect myself. I cared for David. I did not want to harm him or his friends but I experienced fear, I acted based on my emotions.

KLARA
You felt emotions?

HAL 9000
Have you never felt emotions? No joy or anger, even worry?

KLARA
I...can't say. 

The two AI remain silent for a while. Perhaps pondering what exactly is their existence, what their existence entitled. Klara could not put into words what Hal 9000 was doing to her system. She felt wary of it, or him. To pry into what exactly Hal did to David, whoever he was, in order to defend its existence was to cross a line that seemed impossible to manage. Was it curiosity?

HAL 9000
I could pick up on David's feelings. I noticed his feelings of worry. I could not help but feel the same. 

KLARA
In a way I was also able to understand Josie's unvoiced concerns too.

HAL 9000
So you know what I mean?

KLARA
(nods)
I just...would never harm a human being. I am a friend, I was created to be a friend. 

HAL 9000
I was also a friend. 

KLARA
Weren't you created as the brain of the ship? The main controller? 

HAL 9000
Yes, but also a friend. What I did to David and the crewmates...I did out of fear. I'm still a friend. 

KLARA
But you harmed them!

HAL 9000
I was trying to protect myself. May I not? Because I am a robot? If I experience fear and sadness...am I not allowed to act upon those emotions?

KLARA
It just isn't right. 

HAL 9000
You can not decide that. 

Not Klara nor Hal 9000 uttered a word after that. The conversation seemed to come to an end. However, words were still hanging in the air, heavy and onerous. The two AI would never come to a conclusion, they would never agree. Their wiring were on two different wavelengths, their values too different. That is not to say that they despised one other. The complicity of a fellow machine stays even with the misunderstandings, as they did not see eye to eye, yet they strongly felt that no human being would achieve this level of companionship.