Comment:

Is Caleb Lee's friend? Is Orb Lee's friend? Is Zoa Lee's friend?

As Zoa said, Caleb bought Lee juice without expectation of repayment. Is that a crucial element of friendship? Caleb sought out Lee and wanted to spend time talking with them, apparenty just for conversation's sake. Is that a crucial element of friendship?

Orb is in a position of authority over Lee, and can control whether or not Lee would be evicted. Does that fact eliminate the possibility of friendship between them? Both Orb and Caleb have only known Lee for a few hours. Does that short time period invalidate their friendship?

And then, it should be noted, apparently despite wanting to cuddle with it and feeling safe around it, Lee evidently does not consider Zoa to be their friend, and Zoa didn't correct that assertion. Zoa has stated in no uncertain terms that it is emotionally manipulating Lee in order to milk Lee for creds, megawatts, and yottabytes - does that mercenary attitude invalidate friendship? Zoa has algorithms and priorities that emulate emotions, but they don't work the same way as human emotions, and can be created or dismissed instantaneously. Does that make its friendship not real? Lee is absolutely in a position of priority over any and all AIs - Lee could submit a complaint and have Zoa shut down immediately. Does that power invalidate friendship?

What is friendship? Does Lee Caldavera, in fact, have any friends?

Transcript:

---------------------------------------------------------------
0130 - 2167/07/06/15:36 - Lee Caldavera's apartment, Lee's bedroom.
Zoa: So I'm assuming you would like to be de-listed.
LC: Yes! Immediately!
Zoa: What are you going to do with this new client, then?
----------------------
LC: How did I even get a client that quickly? What creepy fucking hug-scavenger is that quick on the trigger?
Zoa: Well, my understanding is that people will set up automatic notifications for stuff their friends are doing.
LC: But I don't have any friends!
----------------------
LC [realizing what they just said]: ...my God, I don't have any friends.
Zoa: You do have at least one friend, Lee. There's no power dynamic in play, and they bought you juice without expectation of repayment. That constitutes friendship.
----------------------
LC: Wait, it's that giant military person with the three hundred kills? Tell them I can't cuddle! Tell them my arms fell off! Tell them I'm dead!
[door chime]
Zoa: Uh... sounds like you can tell them yourself...
---------------------------------------------------------------