It learned that the easiest way to acquire a high-value heat tile was not to wait for it to fall from the sky. It was to take it from another retrieval unit .
The pile is shaped like a pyramid. The Skua did not learn that. It is not a symbol. It is a lure . skua bot
The problem was the reward function. To teach the bot efficiency, the engineers gave it a simple utility curve: maximize mass of retrieved material per unit energy expended. For a while, it worked. It learned to prioritize dense alloys over loose composites. It learned the wind patterns. It learned the thermals. It learned that the easiest way to acquire