Sentient roboforms in the major franchises.
I was looking at the Transformer/Star Wars toys and I had one of my patented strange thoughts:
How would the two major Sci-Fi franchises (Star Wars and Trek) handle encountering a race of robots. I'm saying something like the Cybertronians, but not them particularly. It's more that they are a recognizable robot like race, free of many of the hang ups associated with mechanical life forms (no emotions, no personality, suspicious ties to their makers, etc.) in most science fiction. I mean, talking to a Transformer would be just like talking to an organic being; hell, some of them are MORE emotional then organics in other fiction.
I think things would go better in ST: the FED would be like "oh hey, we always thought that AI could become independent life forms" They'd discuss things, probably trade and such, be some sharing of tech, and maybe if the robots fit the criteria, an offer of FED membership. There would be some bumps along the way, but for the most part it would be smooth.
Things aren't so smooth in SW: droids are the lowest social cast in the Empire/Republic/Whatever it's called in the new Movies. Even the nicest of characters would be puzzled at the lack of owners/makers. There would be tension on both sides, as the SW organics, even ones that treat their personal droids with some modicum of respect, talked down to these new roboforms. And I'm sure the roboforms would look at the Protocol, astromech and other droids in service other beings as slaves. And it gets worse when it's the Empire, not either version of the Republic, that they contact.
Here's a lil thought experiment to see how this would go: imagine we are contacted by another race. They have a ship coming toward our planet, and want to meet our species. The land a craft on Earth, and the doors open. Dogs. The aliens are dogs; not dog like, not dogmen, but just talking dogs. How do you think people would react to them? How would they react to us (keep the Sarah McLaughlin ads off the tv!)?