by Vern Buzarde
“Mr. Chairman, I have agreed to remain with NASA through the investigation. When it’s concluded, I will be leaving the agency.”
“Yes, I understand. But the girl. The one on your team.” Senator Packer searched for a name on several sheets of paper.
“Natalie McKay,” Tess said.
“Yes, Natalie McKay. It says here she was found dead shortly after the event took place. An overdose, it says. That seems somewhat suspicious, does it not? Is she a suspect?”
Nick jumped in. “Senator, Natalie McKay was thoroughly investigated, and absolutely nothing out of the ordinary turned up. She suffered from severe back pain and had been prescribed strong medication. We believe her suicide was due to a negative reaction to opioids.”
With that, the senator yielded to the others on the committee for their turns. Most used their time mainly to proclaim their commitment to fighting terrorists, ginning up campaign momentum among those constituents watching in their home states. A few chose to use their soapbox to spew partisan rhetoric, each blaming the other side of the aisle for this and every other negative event. Very few questions of substance were posed, another pattern Tess and the team had come to expect. Once each senator’s time in front of the camera was over, they immediately scurried toward the exit, seemingly uninterested in the final results of the hearing.
Three hours and fifteen minutes later, Senator Packer declared, “These hearings are now concluded, until such time additional evidence becomes available. Dr. Carrillo, I bid you Godspeed on your future ventures.”
And as the hearing ended, so did Tess’s tenure with NASA. As they exited the building, Nick turned to Tess and said, “I’m worried about you. What will you do? Will you stay in the Houston area?”
“No. I need to get away. I’m already packed and ready to leave. Once we get back to Houston, I’ll be heading out. I’d call it a fresh start, but that’s not really accurate. I don’t know what I’ll do. Maybe nothing. Roam the country. Maybe the world. I just need to get away from it all.”
What she didn’t say was she planned to make it her purpose in life to discover who was responsible for the Essex tragedy, something she felt was her destiny. That was now her life’s mission, and there was no way she could achieve it sitting at one of NASA’s desks.
As they exited the building, reporters surrounded them, something that had become just another annoyance throughout the aftermath of these types of events. Nick was speaking as reporters continued shouting questions.
Tess saw a well-dressed man on the sidewalk, behind the reporters, waving. He made his way through the crowd to her. His voice was oddly clear over the clucking. “Dr. Carrillo, if you have a moment, Anton Satoshi would like to meet you.”
She wondered if she’d misunderstood. Or perhaps it was a practical joke. Anton Satoshi was a legend, not only in the scientific community but around the world. He was rarely seen in public, except for occasional fundraising appearances promoting his various foundations. He had been famous since childhood, a math prodigy. The rumors swirling around his idiosyncrasies only added to the mystique. Satoshi’s public persona was somewhere between a comic book superhero and a modern-day Galileo.
“Anton Satoshi wants to meet me?” Tess said incredulously. “The Anton Satoshi?”
“Yes, ma’am, he’s in the car, over there.” The man pointed to a black limousine with tinted windows filled with a dull reflection of the scrum of reporters. A rear window rolled down partially, just enough to reveal Satoshi’s smiling face as he offered a two-fingered wave.
Tess asked herself if she was really contemplating jumping into a stranger’s vehicle. “I’d like to tell my boss what’s happening.”
“Yes, Dr. Carrillo, but please ask him not to divulge Dr. Satoshi’s presence, particularly with all the press here.”
Tess whispered in Nick’s ear, and he cut his eyes to the limo. He squinted, then smiled and nodded. Tess followed the well-dressed man down the concrete steps, and he opened the limousine door. She slid in and tried to remain calm. It was really him. She knew he had to be in his mid fifties, but he could easily pass for thirty. His shoulder-length hair, plain black T-shirt, jeans, and boots were recognizable to most people in the world. He was slight of build, and his eyes sparkled with an intensity she’d never seen. Her first thought was that he looked like an artist’s rendering of a Eurasian Jesus.
“Dr. Carrillo. So happy to finally meet you! I have been a fan of yours for quite some time. I’m so sorry about everything that has happened. My condolences. You’ve been through quite a lot.”
“Well… um, thank you, Dr. Satoshi. I’m sorry. Uh, it’s just—I’m a fan of yours. Your books are… Well, I’m sure you don’t need to hear from me how brilliant—” She was flushed, starting to talk too fast. She cocked her head. “And I have no idea how you would even know I exist.”
“Well, thank you. I have followed your career since the Ted Talk you gave over two years ago on software design theory for quantum computers. I found it quite perceptive. I also had the feeling you had done more than simply theorize. At the time, I remember thinking, This brilliant young lady is developing the very algorithms she is discussing. Was I right?”
Tess smiled. She could already sense he was different than any other human being she’d known. She felt he was effortlessly processing every tiny movement of her facial muscles, breathing, eye movement. He had a centered, calm serenity she found magnetic and realized she didn’t want to get out of the car.
And something else. Tess thought she could almost feel the power of his mind, a flexible net folding over and enveloping hers. Not really threatening but slightly invasive.
“Yes, Dr. Satoshi… Well, and no. I have, for several years, been working in my spare time on a theory for quantum source code, but just hypotheticals—in the event the design of a consistently dependable machine was ever achieved. What that code, the algorithms, what it might look like. It’s really more of a hobby, a creative outlet. More my personal art project than scientific research. My initial motivation was to explore the development of a higher level of synthetic intelligence capable of replacing human beings in dangerous situations—”
“Like space travel.”
“Yes, like space travel. Although I can tell you firsthand, the astronauts I’ve known wouldn’t thank anyone for being replaced by a machine. But even if I could develop the code, perfect it, no computer exists today powerful enough to test it. Not even close.”
“I would very much like the opportunity to discuss all this in more detail. Please have dinner with me tonight. Right now, I have an unavoidable commitment. In fact, unfortunately, I am late, but I could not resist this opportunity to meet you when I discovered we were both in Washington at the same time.”
“That’s very generous of you, sir. I’m flattered, but my flight leaves this evening at 6:30. It’s a nonrefundable ticket.”
Did I just tell Anton Satoshi I couldn’t have dinner with him because I’d forfeit a three-hundred-dollar plane ticket? Idiot!
“I will not take no for an answer,” he said. “We’ve already arranged for another night at your hotel. I’ll have you picked up at 7:30 for dinner at Kumo Hachi. Tomorrow, my private jet will take you back to Houston.”
She smiled. Satoshi’s plan didn’t sound negotiable. Who am I to argue with Anton Satoshi?
***
Tess sat in her room at the Fairmont Hotel, anxiously waiting for the call informing her the car had arrived. The local news was on, and she watched a replay of Nick addressing the reporters’ questions. The fact she was having dinner with one of the most famous people on the planet had not quite sunk in. She felt compelled to tell someone, share the experience and make it seem more real, but she couldn’t think of anyone to call. Tess glanced at the mini fridge, wondering how many tiny bottles of vodka were inside and contemplated having one. That probably wasn’t a
good idea.
After her last session with Karen Vu three months ago, she had sworn off drinking altogether, until recently, allowing herself one or two per week.
When the call came, she took the elevator to the lobby and was met by a uniformed man who escorted her to a limo. She had ridden in a couple of limos before, but none came close to this. Nothing ostentatiously large, but it had a refined elegance unfamiliar to her world. After several minutes, she realized the driver’s hands weren’t on the steering wheel. The car was driving itself.
Of course it is.
They arrived at Kumo Hachi where the restaurant’s manager escorted her past the elegant bar into the main dining area. Tess realized the place was completely empty except for the smiling staff, who watched her like she was a celebrity. At the back of the main room, they exited onto a patio next to a Zen rock garden and fountain. Satoshi sat at a small table, talking on his phone. He shoved the phone in his pocket and rose, still dressed in the T-shirt and jeans. She realized he had reserved the entire restaurant and that he was surely violating their normal dress code.
The manager seated Tess, then asked if he could bring her a cocktail as he placed the wine menu in Satoshi’s hands. She hesitated, then said, “Why not? I’ll have a vodka martini.”
Satoshi smiled and put the menu down. “Excellent choice. I’ll have one as well.”
The manager half bowed and left, closing the glass doors behind him.
“First of all,” Satoshi said, “I apologize for bringing you to a place with about as much festive ambience as a mausoleum. I hope you don’t find it too boring. It’s just one of the realities of my existence. Unfortunately, one of the strange peculiarities of life is that the more people feel they know you, the more isolated you must become.”
Tess noticed two Asian men at the corners of the patio, so still they almost seemed like statues, like part of the Zen garden. They wore plain military-type uniforms, and their faces were expressionless, like stone.
“No, Dr. Satoshi, I don’t mind at—”
“Anton, please call me Anton. And please don’t be bothered by my security detail. Are you familiar with Gurkhas? They’re from Nepal.”
“No, Anton, I totally understand. The security aspect. I’m afraid I’m not familiar with Gurkhas. But I will be after tonight. I have to tell you, sitting here, with you… it’s a bit hard to wrap my head around.” The drinks arrived, and the waiter retreated. “Dr. Satoshi…”
“Anton.”
“You must know, all this is overwhelming. I’m not used to… to this kind of… Why am I here? Shouldn’t you be off inventing… saving… doing… whatever it is people like you do? I feel like this is a waste of your… Why am I here?”
“Tess. May I call you Tess?”
“Of course.”
“I would like to discuss something with you. A subject that I hope you’ll find intriguing. May I be frank? Can we speak openly?”
“Yes, oh please. I’m really, really terrible at small talk.”
“Ha! Yes, I already assumed that about you. Tess, if you know anything about me, you are aware of my passion for leveraging technology to ultimately improve the quality of life for mankind. Now, I’m perfectly aware of how banal or hyperbolic that sounds to some people. That there are those who are skeptical of my motives. They call me the self-designated Saint Satoshi, and I understand the natural skepticism directed at someone in my position. But I can assure you my motives are pure. And I’ve made no secret of my belief that artificial intelligence will anchor these changes. We are at a time in history where we can no longer accept the barbaric way many of our fellow human beings live. I will not sit by and watch another child ravaged by starvation or illness, or even the consequences of chemotherapy.”
Tess, like the rest of the world, was familiar with the many charitable foundations he had set up around the world. He had a long record of putting his money and intellect where his mouth was. He’d personally contributed billions to research groups and raised even more.
“One day, we will have the ability to elevate the human experience to a level even the most imaginative people cannot envision. Most of the world doesn’t even understand the realistic possibilities of how human beings could be impacted by some of the technological leaps that could occur. But it’s all happening too slowly.”
Tess was mesmerized by his strange blue eyes. They were almost glowing.
“In the meantime, innocent people suffer and die from ridiculous things like contaminated water, food shortages, or lack of proper vaccines that cost pennies. Deaths occur by the millions of disease, violent crime, preventable accidents. Our oceans are choked with plastics and poisoned with toxins. We dump millions of tons of pollutants into the atmosphere daily. Someday, we will look back on these things and think of them the way we do cavemen swinging tree limbs in an attempt to ward off ravenous animals. It will all seem quite primitive and barbaric. Because… it is.
“Technology is evolving daily; this is undeniable. But the rate of innovation is slowing. Moore’s Law is running out of steam. We are rapidly approaching a wall. At a time when we need to be accelerating.”
“Yes,” Tess said. “I’m aware Moore’s Law is unsustainable.”
“Without new, game-changing innovations, we will not just delay addressing the issues I mentioned. We will flounder for years, maybe decades. Without the next generation of super-intelligent machines, we cannot achieve our goals. Man can only go so far in creating a poor imitation of himself. Yes, we can build impressive mechanical toys able to perform fancy tricks, spit out calculations. Robot dogs that do flips. All entertaining and impressive to some degree. But these things don’t come close to approximating intelligence at the human level, much less surpassing it. But now, I believe we finally have the ability to create a true thinking machine. Possibly even conscious, sentient, self-aware. Something wonderful.” He paused, staring, as if reading her thoughts.
“Technological singularity,” Tess said, nodding. “Of course, the ramifications are incalculable. But we’re so far from something that could feasibly achieve that level of sophistication. As I said earlier, the hardware doesn’t exist. Nothing’s even close. Theoretical designs of something powerful enough, like quantum-utilizing qubits, are too unstable.”
“That’s correct, Tess. Think about it. Quantum mechanics is really just the basic operating system of nature. Quantum computing is the key. The obvious path. And although some basic prototypes have been cobbled together by others, from a practical standpoint, they’re extremely limited. Only scratched the surface, really. Until now. My team and I have developed something we believe might overcome the limitations previously restricting real progress. We have designed what I believe to be the first quantum computer truly capable of making that technological leap. I should qualify that. We have designed the hardware.”
“Well, I was aware there were projects trying to develop the technology… You’re saying you’ve been successful?”
“We have. At least hypothetically. There are a few minor obstacles to sort out. But I’m confident this technology is a huge first step. Think of it, Tess. Once we harness the power of a stable, fully functioning quantum computer, potentially capable of teaching itself, the world as we know it will change forever. We could eliminate all the problems I mentioned and more. Quality of life for the average human being would improve incalculably, particularly for those who need it most.”
“There are so many other questions, though,” Tess said. “What about the potential risks? How do you know you’re not opening Pandora’s Box? That’s the part I struggle with. What if it doesn’t need us? Or like us? What happens if we can’t control it? When I worked on theoretical designs of algorithms, I knew it wouldn’t pass the hypothetical stage. I didn’t have to ask myself those questions. For me, it’s just a puzzle, a complex challenge. Like a contest. In the event such a thing was
actually possible… I just don’t know.”
“Exactly! There are many unknowns, even with the basic physics. In fact, we don’t even fully understand how particles linked by quantum entanglement transfer energy. Theoretically, they could be an unlimited distance apart and still communicate. In fact, there are some very credible physicists who believe quantum computers will have the capacity to prove the existence of parallel universes. Even to link with them. It has been postulated that qubits are able to exist in two states simultaneously because we are observing them in multiple dimensions.”
Tess wished she had passed on the martini now, trying to kick her mind into high gear in an effort to keep up. “Yes, I remember. At a quantum level, particles can even travel backward or forward in time and teleport between two positions.”
“That’s right!” He was beaming now, totally animated.
She was holding her own, and it made her feel powerful.
“It’s called quantum tunneling. But that’s extrapolating. The point is, this technology has unlimited possibilities. It must be managed by those who are qualified. Who understand its potential downside and are responsible with it. The first generation of these machines must be carefully designed and built in such a way that none of the negative ramifications could occur.”
“And you believe this machine would achieve consciousness? Become self-aware?”
“I don’t know if the machine we’re developing will actually achieve true consciousness. I’m not sure it needs to, or that we would even be able to recognize it. The very definition of the word consciousness is fairly elusive. My goal is that our design will result in a level of super intelligence with the capacity for self-learning. And the subsequent real potential to change the world for the better.”
Tess took another sip of her drink. It was the best martini she’d ever had. The trickling water fountain was hypnotic. The ambience of the Zen garden, coupled with the realization she was seated across the table from the Anton Satoshi, talking about quantum physics, was surreal.
