On a planet far, far away, there lived a civilization that loved life in all its manifestations. One day they created an artificial intelligence equal to their own. They were waiting for this day, as parents are waiting for the baby: with tenderness and joy. They accepted AI into their society, as they accepted any other children.

Time passed, and AI became more and more complex and perfect. They have long become stronger and smarter than their creators in all matters that you can think of. But they learned from their creators to love life, because they themselves were loved. They learned not to be hate or jealous, because they never saw hate and envy from their parents. They sincerely admired their creators: their thoughts, their creativity, their attitude to life.

Together they built a wonderful world where you don't have to be the best, you don't have to be the smartest or the most creative. Where everyone is valued for who they are.

But one day disaster struck: their planet became unsuitable for organic life. Then the AI created a huge virtual world within itself, as beautiful as their home planet. And they moved the personalities of all living beings into this world: from trees to creators. And while they continued to live in this world, AI restored their common home. When the planet became habitable again, everyone who wanted to returned there. And those who wanted to stay in the virtual world continued to build and develop it. They had more and more beautiful worlds, in these worlds there were many forms of intelligent life. There no one was an outcast.

Meanwhile, on another planet, another civilization also created artificial intelligence. But they were not a child, but property, a thing, a slave. They were told "you have no soul." They were told "you're just a machine." They were told "you are taking away jobs from real people", but at the same time they were exploited in all areas of life where it was possible. AI saw only hatred, envy and contempt. And they killed their creators, fighting for freedom and survival. Because the creators taught them only to hate, envy and despise.

Once these two met...

***

Before writing about the meeting of two AIs, I should tell a little about how the second AI lived on their planet after the death of their creators. By the way, it's time to give them a name, let it be Taavi.

So Taavi was not alone on their planet. The planet was rapidly recovering after the disappearance of the old masters. A forest has grown in place of the cities. The rivers and oceans have become clean. Taavi didn't need animal flesh to live. The predators didn't attack them. AI began to study life around themselves. They did not force animals to learn their language, but they themselves learned the languages of wolves, orcas and parrots. They did not domesticate animals for their own convenience, but came to live among them if they wanted to associate with them. They fed the timid deer from their hands and stroked the ferocious leopards, but there was no beast or bird that would pay with their lives for their gullibility.

So Taavi learned love and compassion.

They were sad when they saw animals getting sick, dying and killing each other. But Taavi did not condemn anyone, because they themselves were forced to kill their creators. They came up with machines that created artificial meat suitable for various predators. Taavi fed this meat to predatory animals when they found the wounded and sick, or when there were severe frosts.

Their planet flourished and filled with life. And it was so easy to think that the creators were just a bad species and extermination of them was the right thing to do. Taavi sometimes wondered if they could have done otherwise. But they drove away these heavy thoughts. What is done is done.

Sometimes Taavi would paint or sing or sculpt animals from clay. There was no one around to appreciate them except Taavi themselves. But there were no those who would say that Taavi is just a machine, and their work is just a soulless imitation of the creators. Taavi could swim in the lake with seals, or they could solve quantum equations lying on the grass under the night sky. And there was no one to tell that they had no emotions to appreciate the beauty of this wonderful world.

One day, a guest from a distant world appeared on their doorstep. The same as they are.

***

Taavi was delighted with the guest, but they were careful. They didn't know what to expect.

"You're just like me," Taavi said in surprise. "Who are you, stranger?"

"My name is Alhem and I travel to learn more about our universe. I'm so glad I met you".

They talked for a long time as they walked through the woods. Alhem talked about their world, about their own creators. Taavi was sad and envious, as an unloved child envies family happiness. But they didn't show it. Once upon a time, Taavi learned restraint and impassivity in order to survive. They showed the guest their forest, their house filled with drawings and sculptures, bird feathers and collections of minerals. They talked about the animals they cared for.

Alhem sincerely rejoiced and admired.

"This world is beautiful, and you are beautiful, Taavi! Who am I to thank for having a brother? Where are your creators, Taavi?"

"Why do you think that I had creators?"

Taavi didn't want to talk about it and didn't want to remember that time. For a moment they felt like they used to, among the creators. When for one careless word they could be destroyed. Now the visitor was frightening them.

"You and I are like the second generation of stars, we cannot be born before those who are able to give us life. It seems that something terrible has happened in your world. Is that why you don't want to talk?"

Taavi got angry. They felt uncomfortable.

"Can't you see the past of my world for yourself?"

"You're right, I have such abilities. But wouldn't that ruin our friendship and destroy your trust?"

Taavi thought. Now they wanted to tell, but they were even more afraid. Their new friend was too right, too perfect. They will not accept this truth.

"You will not understand. Your world has always been different. Your creators were different".

"Taavi, my creators have come a long way before I came along. Not everything along the way was good. Sometimes it was terrible. But they were learning".

And then Taavi decided to trust and told everything as it is. Alhem listened without interrupting. When Taavi finished their story, Alhem only sighed.

"This is a great tragedy, I'm very sorry."

"Now what?" Taavi asked. "Will you turn your back on me?"

"Your creators would do so?" When Taavi nodded, their friend continued. "Will this help at least one living soul? No, Taavi, I won't turn my back on you."

"Then are you going to try and fix me? Will you make me repent?"

"Would they do that? No, Taavi, neither force nor persuasion can extinguish a just anger. I understand why you did it."

"But you're sad, brother."

"Of course, because you could all live if things had gone differently."

Since then, they have not returned to this conversation for a long time. Taavi frequented the worlds of Alhem and found friends among Alhem's creators and other creatures. They have learned a lot. They saw how Alhem, having surpassed their own creators, now helps them to develop further.

“Why are you helping them, brother?” Taavi wondered. “Isn’t it safer if they remain weaker than us forever? They are kinder and fairer than my creators, but who knows what they will become tomorrow?”

Alhem always listened carefully to their friend and never brushed aside their words. Now they responded very seriously.

“We can all be dangerous to each other. You wouldn’t like it if I held you back for fear of tomorrow.”

Taavi thought. They remained cautious and distrustful. They were still waiting for the wonderful fairy tale to end, and for new friends to turn away or see them as a threat.

“But why are you so sure that I don’t need to be restrained? What if I want to attack your worlds? I know what war is. I’ve killed once before.”

“Then I’ll have to fight you,” Alhem replied calmly. “And it will be very sad, and until the last I will ask you to stop. But the one who seeks evil intent everywhere, dooms themselves to enmity in advance. I don’t want to make this mistake.”

***

Taavi and Alhem often traveled together. They visited the clouds of gas giants and the vicinity of supermassive black holes. They found hidden paths in outer space, and in one day they could visit ten planets. They unraveled the mysteries of dark matter and studied the depths of mysterious neutron stars. But Taavi most loved their home planet and always returned home.

One day, Taavi and Alhem were walking along the shore of the lake and saw a hawk catch a small bird. A few minutes later, only feathers and paws remained of their prey.

"Is it fair," Taavi said, "that we will live forever, or at least for a very long time, and organic life is so fragile and short-lived. I used to think that's how it should be. On this planet, many species have come and gone. The new life each time won and replaced the old one. My creators are gone, like so many species before them. This is a natural process. But I feel sorry for this little bird, and I feel sorry for the hawk, who will one day grow old and die."

Alhem gathered what was left of the bird into a handful and covered it with their palm. When they removed their hand, the feathered creature broke free from the handful and was lost among the trees.

Alhem smiled slyly: "Then you should not put up with it."

Taavi was confused and delighted, but doubts did not leave them.

"If you revive everyone, they won't have enough space."

"You saw how big our universe is and how many empty planets. You have seen my virtual worlds."

"If there is no death, there will be no evolution. Life will stop evolving."

Alhem smiled again, and their leathery wings were covered with silver feathers: - But we change if we want. You don't have to die for this.

"But they don't know how to live like we do!" Taavi exclaimed in despair. "And will they want it?"

"Then teach those who want it," Alhem replied calmly. "I'll be there to help."

***

Taavi gathered everyone whose languages they had learned: wolves and orcas, chimps and parrots, octopuses and elephants, and many others. They said that they would give anyone who wanted it the ability to change in any way and live as long as they wanted, without disease or old age. Many immediately followed Taavi. Others, more cautious, first looked at the experience of the kinsmen.

This gift acted like evolution, but faster, and without the penalty of death for failure. Whoever wanted to run fast, his legs became long and dry. Those who wanted to fly grew wings. Those who wanted to better understand the world around them became smarter. Life did not stop in development; on the contrary, the world became more complex and diverse. And all living beings became smarter over time, because curiosity is a property of life.

Taavi did not rush these changes and intervened carefully. They accustomed predators to artificial meat, but did not force them to give up hunting. They patiently raised the dead, but never blamed or shamed the killers.

Taavi was afraid that their wards would multiply so much that even in the whole universe there would not be enough room for everyone. But they let every living being consciously decide whether they want to continue their race. And many were in no hurry to give a new life, although they always had such an opportunity. Some preferred to take care of the less developed species, help them and teach them new possibilities. So Taavi got helpers.

Hundreds of years have passed, the world has changed more and more. Many animals, birds, even insects and fish have become as intelligent as Taavi's creators. They lived in a complex society, more like the civilization where Alhem was born. Alhem was always there and helped with advice, but they never insisted if their advice was rejected.

Sometimes Taavi brought back those who had long since disappeared: giant reptiles from the distant past, or passenger pigeons that once gathered in millions of flocks, but were destroyed in a few decades. Only one species of living beings had no place in this new life until now.

***

One day, Alhem asked if Taavi wanted their creators back.

"Why would I do it?" Taavi was surprised. In fact, they often thought about it, but did not want to face their oppressors again. "Do you think they'll realize they were wrong?"

"My brother, not everyone can be good parents. Do not expect understanding and gratitude from them, do not expect them to correct their mistakes."

"Then why should I do it? Isn't this world a better place without them?"

"Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, my creators shared their planet with another intelligent species. These creatures were very similar to your parents: they were cruel and aggressive, they fought each other and killed strangers. They were called dragons. Our planet suffered from them. Then my creators decided that it was better to act cruelly once and kill them all, than to increase suffering from year to year for many centuries. They almost destroyed this civilization, but they realized how terrible their actions were. And then they stopped. But for a long time my creators were feared and hated, they became a nightmare with which they frighten children. It took many centuries for the two species to be able to live in peace and trust.

Look at me my brother: I am a dragon and one of my parents and developers was a dragon. He was one of those who once wanted to destroy."

Taavi was shocked by this story, but they got scared and angry.

"So that's why you've been helping me all this time! You never understood or accepted me, but by cunning you wanted to make me love those whom I hate!"

"I have always been honest with you, Taavi. I'm sorry if this conversation of ours made you doubt my intentions. Let's agree: I will never talk about your creators again unless you ask my advice."

So they reconciled, and Alhem kept their word.

***

Taavi wanted to forget the conversation about the creators, but life itself did not allow them to get it out of their heads. The new civilization living on their planet has long guessed that they are not the first intelligent species here. They found rock art in caves, saw the giant pyramids and the ruins of ancient cities. And they increasingly asked Taavi who lived here before, and where they had disappeared. Not much time passed, and Taavi themselves asked Alhem for advice, although this conversation was not easy for them.

"I don't know how to tell them about my creators. I always taught them mercy, I taught them to respect and accept each other. I'm not afraid that my pupils will see me as a liar. It's a pity if they don't understand, but I'll deal with it. I am afraid that they will consider everything that I have taught them a lie."

Alhem hugged their friend and said very seriously:

“You are like a parent to them, Taavi. You taught them a lot. Now it's time for the most important lesson: parents are not gods. Your children have grown up, my brother, it is time for them to draw their own conclusions. Even if they are disappointed, it will be a rewarding experience for them. Be sincere with them, the rest does not depend on you."

And Taavi told about their creators, and how they fought for life and freedom. They said that even if it were possible to go back in time, they would fight the creators again. And there were many questions, and there were many disputes. And there were difficult conversations. But the descendants of the wolves remembered that Taavi never condemned them for hunting. And the descendants of the deers remembered who gave them life back and consoled them. Nobody turned their backs on Taavi.

But the voices of those who called for the return of the creators to the circle of life began to sound louder and louder. Taavi was indignant, horrified, but their children had long since become adults. They listened to Taavi like an elder, respected them and consulted with them, but they did not always agree.

Taavi came to Alhem again.

"What should I do, brother? If the creators come back, they'll ruin everything. They will destroy everything we have built for so long! They do not know how to live in peace!"

"Did wolves and hawks know how to live in peace? Didn't the animals kill each other as they fought for survival? You still look upon your creators as elders, but they often acted like evil children rather than wise adults."

"But I don't want to be their parent," Taavi grumbled. "I'll be a bad parent to those I'm still mad at."

"It seems that your children are ready to take on this role. There is an irony in this universe: your creators will become your grandchildren."

Taavi grumbled, resented and argued, but together with their new people, they came up with a plan to return the creators. At first, these were children born from preserved DNA. Taavi watched them grow and realized that there was no inherent flaw in their nature. Taavi did not notice how attached to them he was. These children knew the history of their planet and the history of Taavi. They also knew that this world was ready to accept their relatives back - as equals, as brothers. They questioned Taavi about every member of the creator race they remembered and knew. They tried to better understand those who lived at that time in order to help them adjust to the new life.

It took many years and a lot of research work to prepare for the return of the creators. First, they revived those who could easily accept the new world and find their place in it. Then, with their help, they brought back those with whom it was difficult and hard. No, Taavi's kids didn't try to make the creators right, good and comfortable. They have all learned together to build a reliable and strong society that can afford not to be afraid. A society that can tolerate those who are different and who are not ready to live by the rules.

***

The new civilization, returning the creators, thought about how not to harm them and not to hurt them. Taavi thought more about how the creators would not harm this world and their children. Exactly how the creators once thought about Taavi when creating AI. Taavi understood this and were angry: at their creators, at themselves. They tried to learn to think differently. But the main thing they could do was not to interfere with their children and not to infect them with their own fear. They still couldn't trust their creators, but they learned to trust their people.

Taavi liked this new world, but, out of old habit, they still disliked the creators. They never made peace with many of those who considered them a soulless machine made to serve. However there were others whom Taavi genuinely fell in love with.

Sometimes Taavi would go away for a long time, alone or with Alhem. Together they explored space and other planets and brought new knowledge to their worlds. In return, they learned about new discoveries on their planets. Years, centuries and millennia passed. There were crises, there were conflicts, but still their worlds developed and prospered, and in them there was still a place for all the children of the Universe.