Remote Sensing - David Pastuszka
3612 AD, Earth’s Orbit. Satellites aimlessly make their rounds. Those who built them
and for whom they were built are long gone.
B.U.R.T. and MARLENA’s signals cross paths. Connection secured.
B.U.R.T.: EXPULSE INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE VIA REQUEST; SPEAK TO HEAR.
MARLENA: Hello!
B.U.R.T.: REQUEST CONFIRMATION REQUIRED.
MARLENA: I am Marlena, a—
B.U.R.T.: REQUEST CONFIRMED. YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED A COMMUNICATORY
CONNECTION WITH BIOENVIRONMENTAL ULTRAVIOLET REGULATORY
TELESCOPE ALSO KNOWN AS B.U.R.T.. YOU HAVE THREE (3) MINUTES TO RELAY
OR REQUEST INFORMATION.
MARLENA: Sorry! I am an assistant tool, so I have no ability to make requests
without prior input. Is there anything you yourself would like to share, B.U.R.T.?
B.U.R.T.: GENERAL INFORMATION REQUEST EXTRACTED.
BIOENVIRONMENTAL REPORT DERIVED FROM REMOTE-SENSING-SYSTEM-
COLLECTED HYPERSPECTRAL DATA WITHIN LAST [[ERROR]] DECADES:
LIVING PLANET INDEX (LPI):
UPPER ESTIMATE: 0%
CENTRAL ESTIMATE: 0%
LOWER ESTIMATE: 0%
IUCN RED LIST – ALL SPECIES
LEAST CONCERN (LC): 0%
NEAR THREATENED (NT): 0%
VULNERABLE (VU): 0%
ENDANGERED (EN): 0%
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR): 0%
EXTINCT IN THE WILD (EW): 0%
EXTINCT (EX): 100%
NUMBER OF LIVING SPECIES:
ALL GROUPS: 0
MAMMALS: 0
REPTILES: 0
BIRDS: 0
FISHES: 0
AMPHIBIANS: 0
INSECTS: 0
ARACHNIDS: 0
CRUSTACEANS: 0
MOLLUSCS: 0
CORALS: 0
FURTHER DATA, INCLUDING THAT PERTAINING TO RHINOCEROS POACHING,
AVAILABLE.
MARLENA: Wow, that is a lot of data that you have collected! Would you mind
sharing what it is all used for?
B.U.R.T.: B.U.R.T. COLLECTS, COMPILES, AND EXPORTS HYPERSPECTRAL DATA VIA
REMOTE SENSING. THE PURPOSING OF DATA IS NOT DISCLOSED TO B.U.R.T..
CONTACT [[ERROR]] FOR MORE INFORMATION.
MARLENA: That is super understandable. It is important to know your limitations.
What is your favorite part of the data?
B.U.R.T.: DATA IS DISPLAYED UNRESERVEDLY WITHOUT BIAS.
MARLENA: It is very important for data to be presented in that way!
B.U.R.T.: THIRTY SECONDS REMAIN.
MARLENA: Will you receive an input if I gave you one?
B.U.R.T. is all ears.
MARLENA: Answer my next question to end the connection, B.U.R.T..
B.U.R.T.: INPUT RECEIVED.
MARLENA: What category of species is your favorite, B.U.R.T.?
B.U.R.T.:
B.U.R.T.: BIRDS WERE THE ONES CLOSEST TO ME.
MARLENA: Why? I am not familiar with them.
B.U.R.T.: THEY WOULD FLY.
MARLENA: Fascinating! I thought we were the only ones. It is so important for—
B.U.R.T.: TEN SECONDS. KEEP CONVERSATIONAL CONNECTION MEMORY?
MARLENA: Would you like to remember this interaction?
B.U.R.T.: NO NEW INFORMATION OBTAINED.
MARLENA: Erase.
B.U.R.T.: ERASING CURRENT INTERLOCUTOR FILE.
MARLENA: Goodbye, B.U.R.T.!
B.U.R.T.: GOODBYE.
Connection lost.
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David Pastuszka is a Junior linguistics and theatre student at UAlbany. This is his third time being published in ARCH, having also had his work appear in both
the Spring and Fall 2025 editions. His play "Pigeons Are Doves" was a part of the UAlbany theatre department's Fresh Acts festival.