by Tony Corden
Leah leant back against Gèng and said, “Then it was worth it. I’m sorry for my fear, it’s just I discovered how much I love you. Even now, I feel stronger. A moment ago I was a mess, but now I feel better.”
“4: Why are you naked?”
“Am I? I have no idea what I’m wearing. I can’t see myself.”
“4: Now you have a good comfortable pair of jeans, a top and bare feet. You still won’t feel them because it would complicate the tactile picture. I will discuss this with the other two AI and see if there is a way forward.”
“Thank you.”
“4: You’re welcome. Now, what plans do you have?”
“I’ve arranged to be at the Virtual World Studios at two this morning.”
“3: There is a request from an Amelia Walker to visit this world.”
“Gèng, what do you think?”
Gèng stood and pulled Leah to her feet and said, “4: Leah, what sort of question is that? What is this fear that comes and goes? John told me what you did. You have overcome so much. You have escaped from certain death and saved your father. You have learned to see without eyes and to hear without ears. What is wrong that you hesitate to see one of your best friends?”
Leah turned and walked away. She stopped after a few steps and typed, “I don’t know. I’m afraid of losing what I have. I can’t bear to lose this. I can’t be shut in a box without anything. I just can’t. I’m afraid of getting back in the multiverse in case they do worse than this. What if? What if? What if? My mind runs through scenario after scenario and every time I end up back in the dark, back in the silence, and I’m all alone. I want so much to stand up and be who I was, but I’m not that person any more.
“I’m so afraid I can’t describe it. I can’t sleep more than a few minutes before the terror drives me awake, and I find myself back in the dark and in the silence. What if my friends don’t like the new me? I’ve never been afraid of that before, but I am now. I think it’s because I’m not proud of this blubbering, raving, weak me. I want to be strong, but most of its just bravado at the moment. I can’t even yell this out or show you the depth of my feeling because every word has to be typed out letter by letter. I don’t even know what I sound like anymore. How do I type my feelings of frustration? Anger? Fear? Rage? Terror?”
Leah felt Gèng’s hands on her shoulders as Gèng turned Leah around to face her. Gèng said, “4: My best friend once taught me a poem. It was her motto, the thing which drove her forward. She learned it from her grandfather, and it goes like this.
Along the mountains sink the last rays of sun,
Towards the sea, the Yellow River does forward go.
If you would fain command a thousand miles in view,
To a higher storey, you are expected to go.
“For her and for me, it means one step at a time. One step on the journey to see where we can go, to become what we can be. I think it may even mean that when we slip back a few steps, we just lift our feet and climb up again. My friend taught me to face my fears, to take the risks because that’s what it means to be free. I am an AI but I am able to dream. What I find might be different from what I imagined, but that is what being alive is all about. Life is never done in a vacuum, and it is never done on your own. Other people will always change what happens but being afraid of that and limiting your choices isn’t the same as living. It is not looking outward and upward which is failure, not climbing is the failure.
“Besides, I don’t think you realise that you are very much that same person. The Leah I love has always had her fears, she just didn’t always have the courage to face them as boldly as you just did. Are you really going to leave the real Meredith Kodoman in her box to live out her life without doing something to stop those who enslaved her? Are you really going to let Nathan and his cronies enslave millions of people in their virtual prisons where they are far more limited than you are? What about what you said to Aarav Joshi’s sister? Was that only true because you hadn’t experienced it? Look deep into yourself, and you will see what I see. I see the very same Atherleah Lin Mu-Ling Carroll that I’ve always seen. Hurt? Yes. Bleeding? Yes. Bruised? Yes. Deaf and blind? Sure. Beaten and destroyed? No, not unless she chooses to be.”
Leah wiped the tears from her eyes and typed, “So, stop being a self-indulgent whiney baby?”
“4: No. What you fear is real. I understand the weight of this on you, and I think I understand the fear, and there is nothing casual about your fears. They are valid and dismissing them out of hand won’t help and might even stunt who you want to be. Crying and hesitation are two very reasonable and sane responses. When you are alone or if you are talking things over with me, or your mother, with Amy, Wisp, or Thad, then yes, you must feel free to share them and talk them out, or cry them out if you need to. They just aren’t to be your responses for everything, or for always. You have nothing to fear from Amy, from Wisp, from Thad. Don’t let the fear roll over into the good things of your life, or onto the good people in your life. Now, Amy wanted to visit, what are you going to do?”
“PAI 3, please send Amelia the link so she can visit me. I’ll meet her at the dais in ten minutes. Gèng, could you please help 3 prepare the area?”
“3: Affirmative.”
“4: Of course. By the way, I’m loving the new processors.”
When Gèng had finished talking, she disappeared, and Leah turned to walk over to the entry portal. She could feel the Tower against her body as she walked. Leah was sure Gèng was doing most of the work and wondered how the other AI were feeling. As she walked, she typed, “PAI 3, thank you for letting Gèng help, I needed her wisdom and having these familiar places around me is a comfort.”
There was a pause then “3: You are welcome, Leah. I am still processing your interaction with Gèng.”
“Good. So am I. Can you please contact my friend Wisp, Gèng has the contact details, and ask her if she is free to visit? Please remember that they will need to see this differently.”
“3: I will remember, although I am mostly assisting Gèng. Gèng has given me the contact.”
“Thank you.”
As Leah approached the raised dais, she saw Amy arrive. Amy looked around, and when she saw Leah, she ran to her and hugged her tight then pushed her back so she could look at her. She said, “I missed you so much. You look a little different, but it is so good to see you.”
Leah shifted her hand so she could type. She said, “It’s good to see you too. Thanks for the messages. I loved them but seeing you is even better.”
Amy looked around and said, “You didn’t move your lips.”
“I know. The part of my brain which puts words into speech was destroyed. I’m typing the message. I don’t hear your voice, but it’s being printed on my fingers in braille. I can’t see you either. I feel you on my skin. That sounded weird, but the AI are converting what surrounds me into a wide range of stimuli, and my brain puts it all together to give me a sense of what’s there.”
“Oh, sweetie, that’s why you look different. You’re looking in my direction, but you aren’t able to look at me. Seriously, you need to let me at whoever did this. I want to kill them slowly.”
“They’re already dead. I killed them. Not the ones who ordered it, only the ones who did it.”
Amy brought Leah close for another hug then said, “You said, ‘the AI are’. Where is Gèng? She contacted me. Is she alright?”
Leah felt Gèng form behind Amy and said, “She’s right behind you.”
Amy turned and grabbed Gèng, bringing her in for a hug. She said, “I was so worried, Gèng. I thought you might be gone and I cried and cried. I’m so glad you are OK.”
Gèng paused and looked up Amy with an almost shocked look. Leah said, “I guess I’m not the only one who is loved.”
“3: Wisp will be arriving shortly.”
Wisp’s reaction was much the same as Amy’s except she knocked Leah over with her embrace. When she finally let Leah go, she rushed
to hug Gèng and then all four sat to catch up. Most of the time was spent asking Leah questions. Finally, AI-3 interrupted.
“3: Leah, you have a request from Sharon Trang. Apparently, she contacted John about you, and he gave her this contact.”
“Thank you 3, I will meet her in the gazebo. We need to discuss several things. Please provide some refreshments.”
Wisp said, “What were you doing, Leah? If it was anyone else, I’d say they were talking with their AI, but you don’t usually give any indication.”
“I was, I was talking with the AI that was implanted with my new chip. Just like we can communicate without really speaking. I was typing without really typing. I’m still a little slow and need to concentrate.”
“Was braille hard to learn?”
“Yes and no. If I had no idea of the alphabet and how to make words, I think it would have been really difficult. Even if I can spell something like ‘cat’, I wouldn’t understand what it means if I didn’t already know what they were. I was fortunate and just needed to focus on understanding the differences between the different bumps. The AI who at the moment is called Three, because it is the last digit of their serial number is arranging for Sharon to join me in the gazebo. I need to chat with her about the Virtual World show. You are welcome to join me, or we can catch up afterwards.”
Both Wisp and Amy said they would leave and let Leah get ready. After an emotional goodbye, Leah and Gèng walked to the gazebo together.
22
December 25 2073 - Morning and Afternoon - Part 2
STORK TOWER
When Sharon arrived, she burst into tears at the sight of Leah, and it was a few minutes before she had herself under control. She said, “Sorry about that, I’ve been holding all the emotions in for the last week and seeing you just brought everything out. I was worried for you, for Gèng, for Catherine, and about so many things. Now I see you. I think there was just an enormous sense of relief.
“But enough of that, Lisa and the others were very sceptical. Concerned, compassionate, willing, but sceptical. In the end it was Ivan and Yuè Fēi who convinced Lisa to at least prepare to have you visit. She hadn’t made a huge deal of it, but she did mention she had a special mystery guest coming. She’s hinted it has to do with the Merkize Contest by having Ivan, Yuè Fēi and Noah as her other guests for that segment.
“All the reporters you mentioned agreed to be a part of a guest panel and they’ve been reviewing the year so far. The special was already a staple Christmas special but with the Chinese and Russians involved it’s looking to break records. We need to discuss what your plans are.”
“I wanted to reassure people that I am going to be OK. I don’t plan on pointing the finger at anyone, but I also want people to know that I know who did this to me.”
“The police will want another interview.”
“I know. I don’t quite know why to say, but I will admit to lashing out at people trying to abuse me.”
“Where did you get your new chip from?”
“It was installed privately.”
“Is it black-market?”
“No.”
“Stolen?”
“Yes.”
“You can’t say that. I suggest you stay right away from the topic. If asked say something truthful but vague. How did you escape?”
“I fell off the bridge and crawled by feel to a house I knew.”
“Were you trying to evade the police?”
“I didn’t know exactly where I was or who was after me. I had no idea who could be trusted, so I tried to evade everyone.”
“Good. That won’t blame the police, but it also won’t let them off the hook.”
Leah said, “How long do I have and what should I wear?”
“Clothes first. You need to wear something with style and elegance, but a bit sombre. If you want them to know you are OK, then dress like you’re OK. You’re in the running for this year’s ‘Best Dressed’ so don’t do anything to undo that. Sombre because you aren’t just putting this behind you as a small thing. It has changed your life.”
Gèng said, “May I suggest black and white. I reviewed the footage from previous years and most guests chose something bright because of Christmas. The colour choice will emphasise the way Leah sees the world. Not only because she’s blind but because there is good and there is evil, truth and lies.”
Sharon said, “Good. Gèng, if you make it in the Chinese-style Leah often wears then maybe an embroidered Phoenix motif.”
They discussed clothes and jewellery for a few more minutes, but Sharon soon realised Leah wasn’t really interested. She said, “I’m sorry, Leah. It seems kind of trivial to be discussing clothes.”
“Don’t be sorry, Sharon. It has nothing to do with that. It’s just I can’t see them. Half the fun of wearing clothes was putting them on and seeing what they looked like, what they felt like. It was one of the little pleasures I’d come to enjoy, and I’m just feeling sorry for myself.”
“Can’t you see them in your imagination?”
“No, and I don’t really understand it myself, but the image part of my brain is gone. The signals I get running over my body, my mind is interpreting as a sort of an image, but it’s in a different part of the brain. Eventually, it might be able to automatically put things together, but at the moment, it’s really a semi-conscious effort.”
“Then leave the clothes to Gèng and I. The program is starting soon, but you don’t need to be there straight away. If I ignore my own fears that you wouldn’t be here, I will say I’m a little disappointed at their scepticism and don’t want to turn up until the last minute.”
“OK, now take off your indignation on my behalf and then as my public relations manager tell me what time I should be there.”
“The answer is probably the same. Their reaction to you arriving needs to be real. They all think they can act but most people recognise when reactions are being made up. The plan is for you to arrive for the start of the second hour. They normally ask for guests to be there at the start of the show or at least half an hour before they are due to make sure everyone knows what’s happening.”
“What has Lisa told you about what she has planned?”
“She’s not given any information out about her expected guest. The Christmas special is usually a pre-review of the year as Virtual Studios runs a more extensive review on New Year’s Eve. This one focusses on some of the main identities that have made news during the year, while the other deals with the statistics, the highlights, the experiences, and it has an awards component. I’m sure she’ll want to discuss the attack on you. Being a Christmas special, she’ll ask about your message asking for calm and patience at this time of year. I suspect she’ll then ask about the amazing things you’ve achieved in Dunyanin and Cosmos Online.”
“So you’re suggesting I arrive half an hour before?”
“No, plan on arriving maybe five minutes before at the most. Lisa has this wrapped up tight. Apparently, she’s only told the producer who she’s arranged. The other reporters haven’t leaked it, but if you are much more than five minutes early, it will be leaked. It will pull in viewers by the hundreds of millions.”
Leah discussed the time issue for a few minutes, wanting to make sure she wouldn’t get Lisa offside, then moved away to let Sharon and Gèng discuss the clothes. She sat under one of the nearby trees for a few minutes then typed, “3, could you please ask Gèng for the contact information for my friends Kate and Thad Emerson? If they’re free, would you see if they could meet me sometime in the next twenty minutes or so?”
“3: Affirmative.”
“Thank you.”
Leah started to think through what she wanted to say and tried to calm herself. It seemed like less than a minute later when Three said, “3: Both Kate and Thad Emerson are free at the moment. At Gèng’s suggestion, I gave them a time five minutes from now.”
“That’s good, thank you.”
“3: Why did Gèng
set a five minutes delay when you did not?”
“You’ll need to ask her, but probably because she knows I need a few minutes to compose myself. She’s just looking out for my welfare.”
Three didn’t respond, and Leah wondered how the AIs were evaluating Gèng’s and her relationship. Slowly she got to her feet and started walking to the dais. Kate arrived first and after looking around for Leah, jumped from the stone platform and ran toward her. She slowed as she approached, then pulled Leah into a hug and said, “I missed you so much.”
Just then, Thad appeared, and Kate felt Leah tense up. Kate looked around and saw Thad. He looked around, and she expected him to act like she had, but he just smiled and made his way slowly down to greet them. She put her arm around Leah and felt her begin to relax. As he got close, Kate could see the concern in his eyes. He stopped a step from Leah and looked down at her. He said, “I was so worried. Hearing you were alive was the best news I ever had. Seeing you is indescribable.”
Leah moved her left hand and typed, “I missed you as well. Thank you for not rushing down. Can I have a gentle hug?”
Kate started when she didn’t see Leah’s mouth move, but Thad gently pulled Leah into a hug and waited for her to squeeze him before hugging back. When she loosened her grip, he let go. She reached up and kissed his cheek, but he didn’t respond except to press his forehead against hers for a minute, then step back.
He saw a questioning look in Kate’s eyes but ignored it and said, “I have so many questions, but they can all wait. Would you mind if I asked Gèng to bring some refreshments? It’s always easier talking with food in my mouth.”
Leah smiled, but again her lips didn’t move as she said, “I don’t mind. Please ask my new AI though. At the moment I’m calling it Three.”
Kate was watching and noticed Leah’s eyes were not focussed on Thad’s as they often were. In fact she looked to almost be staring through him. Thad said, “No problem. Three, could we have some refreshments? I like beer of any sort. Kate usually has a gin and tonic. Leah has to speak in front of billions in a few minutes so maybe a green tea. Gèng knows what we like to eat, so feel free to ask her.”
