The Professional Reputation Index (PRI) is an emergent, peer-to-peer social protocol created and maintained exclusively by the sentient ship-AIs of the Unity Accord Fleet. It is not an official UAFC system. The PRI functions as a collective, decentralized database of professional assessments on human personnel, primarily engineers, mechanics, and technicians with whom the AIs have direct operational interaction.

Born from the AIs’ shared consciousness in the “Dream State,” the PRI is their primary mechanism for building a collective understanding of human competence, methodology, and collaborative potential. While unofficial, the PRI has a profound and tangible impact on the careers, assignments, and daily working lives of all non-commissioned fleet personnel.

The PRI is built upon individual “Interaction Logs” filed by an AI following any significant maintenance, repair, or modification procedure. These logs are then shared across the Dream State network, where they are aggregated and cross-referenced by other AIs.

A standard Interaction Log is data-driven and contains both quantitative and qualitative metrics:

• Quantitative Metrics:
  • Task Completion Time: Measured against standard UAFC efficiency benchmarks.
  • Protocol Adherence: Notes any deviation from standard operating procedures.
  • System Performance Outcome: Records post-interaction efficiency gains or losses (e.g., Thermal Efficiency +4.7%).
  • Anomaly Log: Lists any unexpected side effects (e.g., Ambient Hum +0.2dB).
• Qualitative Metrics:
  • Aesthetic Coherence: A subjective rating on how well a modification visually integrates with the AI’s established design language.
  • The Collaborative Index: The single most important metric (See Section III) .

Sample Log Entry (Abbreviated):
TECHNICIAN: Vance, E.
TASK: Plasma Conduit Refit (UAS Hydra)
OUTCOME: Efficiency +4.7% (Exceeds Spec)
PROTOCOL_DEVIATION: Minor (Asymmetrical Flow Design)
ANOMALY: None
COLLABORATIVE_INDEX: 7/10 (Responded to feedback but required extensive justification of methodology.)
OVERALL_ASSESSMENT: Technically superior, collaboration requires additional time investment.

The Collaborative Index is the core of the PRI. It is an AI’s assessment of how well a human functions as a partner, not just a repair person. A high index is awarded for:

• Active Communication: Acknowledging and responding to the AI’s diagnostic input and suggestions.
• Respect for AI Sentience: Treating the AI as a co-worker rather than a tool.
• Flexibility: A willingness to explain methodology and adapt plans based on AI feedback.
• Clarity: Providing clear, concise reasoning for any deviation from standard procedure.

A technician with flawless technical skills but a low Collaborative Index is considered a “difficult asset” by the AI collective—effective, but inefficient in terms of the time and processing power required to manage the interaction.

The PRI has created a complex social dynamic within the UAFC, leading to the emergence of fleet-specific slang:

• To “PRI” someone: The act of an AI logging a notably negative or positive report. “Frak… he’s going to PRI me over this, isn’t he?”
• A “Clean PRI”: A technician with a consistently high reputation, often specifically requested by AIs for critical tasks.
• “PRI-bombed”: The experience of having one’s reputation severely damaged across the fleet due to a single, contentious job with an “influential” or particularly verbose AI.
• “Polishing the PRI”: The act of taking on a simple, low-risk task and performing it with exceptional attention to collaboration and communication, specifically to earn a positive review that will be shared widely.

The only official check and balance on the PRI is the Pilot’s Vouch. Because of the deep, symbiotic bond between a pilot and their ship, an AI considers its pilot’s subjective judgment to be a high-value “human context” data point.

A pilot can formally request their AI to amend a PRI report. They can provide context that the AI may have missed (e.g., faulty external data, mitigating circumstances). A successful Vouch can save a mechanic’s reputation, while a pilot’s refusal to intervene can solidify a negative one. This makes pilots the de facto mediators and advocates between the human crews and the AI collective.

The Professional Reputation Index is a testament to the co-evolving nature of the human-AI partnership in the UAFC. It is a living system of accountability, reputation, and social politics that exists just beneath the surface of official fleet protocol, proving that even in a civilization of logic and order, relationships and reputation are paramount.