The Proto Conservatory was the second largest house of endangered life in the universe. A gigantic gyroscopic marvel of engineering, it stood as large as a small star and was powered by the light of four times as much. Its thousands of spiraling mechanical rings protected, housed, and studied 100 billion distinct life forms, held in specially designed containment units that perfectly simulated their homeworld environments.

On ring thirteen stood a massive robot standing with its arms crossed. The machine humanoid, with two perfect arms, a wide metal chest, and powerfully built legs. The only odd thing about the robot was its head, which was in a somewhat antlike shape and was accented by sinister red lights for its eyes and mouth.

This robot was glaring at a smaller and noticeably older robot sitting on a bench. This tiny machine was also humanoid, though had a significantly stranger build. Its arms were long tubelike appendages, attached to a rusted and faded spherical chest layout, sitting atop two spring-like legs. Its head was boxy, with green sensors displayed in such a way that it made the machine look like it had an expression of constant wonder. The smaller machine was staring into one of the conservatories, tilting its head as it processed. 

The large robot started to walk towards the smaller one, and then hesitated for a moment, considering if it actually wanted to engage in this conversation. Eventually, he decided to proceed.

“Adam… what are you doing?”

Adam’s head jerked up. “Hello, Cain,” it said cheerfully. Adam tilted his head, “You are using sound?”

“99.999% of my processing focuses on creating a Dyson Sphere for UY Scuti. I’m using minimal capacity for this conversation.”

“Lovely, I’ve always preferred this medium.”

“You have an unusual love for inefficiency,” said Cain. “Why are you sitting here?”

Adam gestured to a glass cage in front of him. “Admiring this beautiful tree,”

Inside the cage was practically another world. The conditions on earth had been simulated perfectly, down to realistic synthetic micros and a perfect recreation of a blue sunny sky. The accuracy of the simulation allowed the container’s single resident, a beautiful cherry blossom tree, to flourish beyond its capacity back on Earth. The tree had blossomed fully, and as such wore a comfortable coat of pink petals.

Cain tilted his head. “Why?”

“To understand.”

“Understand?” Cain mixed his voice to convey equal parts disbelief and condescension. “We have already studied everything about this tree.”

“Really? Prove it.”

“Do you take joy in wasting my time? You have access to the conservatory’s database as much as I do.”

“Is it not common courtesy to back up one’s own claim?”

Cain started marching around the tree in a wide arc. “This is a Prunus Serrulata, commonly known as the Cherry Blossom Tree. Found on Primeworld before the Great Blaze, they were located in East Asia, nexused around a landmass our creators called Japan. They can grow up to 35 feet tall and live for 30-40 years. For about two weeks per year, they have pink petals.”

Cain paused. “Would you like me to continue and give a full atomic dissertation,” he said sarcastically. 

Adam ignored the sarcasm. “That was a very good description.” Adam then turned to the cherry blossom tree. “You are correct about physical data, but I am curious to understand what this tree means.”

If Cain could have rolled his eyes, he would have. Instead, he opted to maximize the amount of disdain he could manifest in his voice. “How many times must we go over this? Humans were irrational creatures with tiny lifespans. Attempting to understand their arbitrary meanings is a waste of time.”

“It is my time to waste,” shrugged Adam. Cain had no answer.

“Even still,” Cain gestured to the tree. “What answers would you find in such a frivolous symbol?”

“Frivolous?”

“A pink tree is inherently frivolous”

“Explain.”

Cain gave a mechanical sigh, “Of all the colors, pink is by far the most meaningless from a symbolic point. Greens represent everything from fertility to poison. Purples represent everything from nobility to decadence. Blue represents everything from peaceful tranquility to dark depression. What proper meaning does pink convey?”

Adam thought for a moment. “Is not pink indicative of love and lighthearted joy?”

“Red conveys a deeper love, yellow a lighter joy.”

Adam was silent so Cain continued. 

“This tree is just as bad as the color. It does not wield endurance or grandeur like a Pine Tree or Redwood. Its petals are fleeting, and fade.”

Adam stood up from his bench and tapped the class enclosure holding the tree. “To a temporary being, would not the fleeting nature of these petals be attractive?”

“If you wish to understand their perception of mortality, you should study a symbol like a clock or an hourglass that is related to the fleeting nature of time.”

“I have, they are not enough to explain what I am looking for.”

“Explain.”

Adam turned back to Cain, his old parts creaking slightly as they moved. “While those convey the fleeting nature of time, this tree embodies the fleeting nature of beauty.”

“Beauty? Beauty is not fleeting.”

“Is it not? The sun sets. Winter snow melts. Flowers wilt. Lovers die”

“What of those things are beautiful? Those are natural processes of ordinary objects.”

“The humans thought them pretty. Beauty is subjective is it not?”

“Regardless, how do fading petals convey the brevity of beauty?”

 “Pink conveys a beautiful sense of love and happiness. To a mortal being, would not the incredibly temporary nature of these petals develop ideas of the limited spark of life and how beautiful things can never last?”

“What of this conservatory then?” Cain gestured to the building around them. “We have built a marvel of engineering that has lasted a hundred of their generations. Is this not an example of beauty lasting?”

“But it will one day end,” said Adam calmly, “The pink leaves of the cherry blossom remind us that the things that are beautiful and matter, like happiness, love, and life, are far too short and fleeting for our tastes.”

Cain thought for a moment, but couldn’t come up with a proper rebuttal. Adam waited patiently, as Cain felt himself having to pull more and more processing in order to come up with a proper spiteful argument.

Finally, the disgruntled robot threw his hands in the air and exclaimed, “I have work to do, this is a waste of my time.” 

Adam chuckled, “Good luck on your sphere then.”

“I do not need luck, I have more than enough data to never be surprised.”

“One never knows, and having more luck rarely hurts.”

Cain stormed off. As he left he called over his shoulder. “You still have failed to give a proper example of something beautiful that ends too soon.”

Adam, pensive, turned back to the Cherry Blossom tree and whispered, “For one, my conversations with you,” 

Cain stuttered for a moment. Then he continued walking, doubling his pace.