FimFiction Link - Short ID: 507249/passing-familiarity
Published: Nov '21 — Jan '22
It is a bit unfortunate that this story also makes the same mistake as Familiar in that it basically spells out the ideas that it's presenting plainly. That is, slavery is bad, including when the slaves are fully sapient AI powered maredroids.
Fortunately, where Familar takes no time at all to explore its scifi concept and leaves only a lecture, this story also includes the philosophizing that was missing. A good amount of detail is spent in exploring the lives of Familiars and it even spends some time examining the hedonism of the Eternal Carnival and various ponies that embrace, reject, strive in or struggle with it.
An important detail worth mentioning that's missing from the story front page is that late master of the main character is Maud Pie. Turing Test is likewise very Maud-like in her mannerisms, which are further enhanced by her artificiality.
After a rocky, hamfisted start for this story, it smoothed out with the introduction of (gasp!) a Familiar-less pony for a pony-less Familiar. I had a nice time following Turing Test on her quest to find a new reason to live (that might or might not succeed). In the end, even if this story would work better with "show" instead of "tell" I'll take show and tell over just tell.