The Perks Of Being A Wall

is not just that it shows how much ART likes Murderbot (although this makes the first encounter between it and Iris in Network Effect so much funnier in hindsight)

Nor is it just that it showed the depth of the admiration ART has for Murderbot's skills, and the fact that it learned so much from watching it work (which highlights just how much competence Murderbot has at its job)

But no, my favourite thing is that one of the very first thing ART chooses to say about Murderbot, is that Murderbot taught it about trauma.

It doesn't say "exploitation" or "slavery" or "corporate greed". After all, with its job, ART knew these things perfectly well already. But Murderbot taught it to see the effect that those things have on people, the scars they leave behind.

This story shows how ART is starting to be (minimally, in its own "ART-way") more thoughtful of strangers' feelings, because meeting Murderbot made it grow, it made it better.

Murderbot: Well, I guess I'll use these crappy drones that the cheap-ass company paid the lowest bidder for. I wish I had better drones.

ART, watching over MB's shoulder: Those drones are so cool. I want drones like that. Dads, can I have drones like that? Can we get new drones on the way home?

ART's family: Peri, where did you schematics for state-of-the-art, highly secret, corporate military tech?

They had discovered a few years ago that this corner was a spot with just enough feedback from the climate control system to mess with any recording devices. There was a way they checked, every year, to make sure it was the same, and he was already certain it would be fine. They never discussed anything sensitive, but chose the spot as their place to exchange limited pleasantries in low tones, reassured slightly by the tiny bit of privacy.

“I thought you didn’t have any friends.” Beetee’s reply wasn’t cold-hearted, it was a fact Haymitch had thrown at him year after year.

“I don’t. I pushed him away. Barely knew him by the time he died.”

“But…”

Haymitch should hate the way the older man could bait him into explaining himself. But he doesn’t have the energy. “But that’s still his kid, okay? And I like her, in spite of myself.”

“You’ve never been one to get attached to the tributes.” Again, a fact. Nothing rude meant by it.

“Things change.” He took a sip of his drink, just for something to do. “She reminds me of me. Just luckier, perhaps.”

“Oh?” Beetee’s face flashed for a second, and in that moment Haymitch knew Plutarch had shared the details of their conversation in 11 decades ago with Beetee.

Good.

“If she dies, I’m done.” Haymitch let the words hang in the air for a beat, knowing Beetee would understand him, exactly had he had with his previous statement.

“Haymitch, no.” Beetee’s response was firm, but sympathetic. And was not a real attempt to change his mind.

“He’ll see what it does to me, if she dies. And then the other girl will be back on the block a year from now.” Haymitch knew this conversation was pushing it in length, and he was already looking across the room to find someone else to greet next. “It’s for the best.”

“And if she wins?” Beetee asked, allowing the slightest hint of excitement to break through.

“Then I’m in.” Haymitch crossed the room and greeted Chaff with a hug, not turning back to look a Beetee.

And here’s what I feel strongly about: there is nothing inherently different about Katniss. There is nothing special about her. Katniss was just one more girl, in a very very long line of similar girls, who wanted to get home to her family. She and Haymitch and Lucy Gray are ALL survivors with their own strengths and skills and none are better than the other.