Flee or Kill: The Future Of Reality TV (Future Forward Book 2)
Page 20
"And last, we keep to our original plan. Harry them, take the odd loss ourselves and pick them off one by one as they run. This will prolong the chase as long as needed. We can end it at any time, simply increase our force level or cut their suit power off," said Chambers.
Chambers swiveled his chair to face the Secretary, leaned forward to sit on the edge, and casually waved his hand at the screen. The last option enlarged to occupy the entire screen while the others disappeared. He continued speaking.
"Our quick-focus groups favor this last option, Sir. There's more excitement and uncertainty, more drama involved. The people are starting to root for the Captain to escape. You can either reduce that encouragement and lower your ratings or encourage it with some potential losses on our part. It all depends on what level of loss you're prepared to take, and that's not my call, Sir." Chambers relaxed back into his chair and took a deep breath.
The Secretary smiled.
"Go with Option Four, Lieutenant'" said Carpenter. "But run focus groups to see how the population would react to voting on survivors as we progress. Our primary purpose right now is to both prolong the Chase for the next two to three days and increase the marketing levels to keep Corporate happy. None of them will survive the Chase in any case so it's really about how to make marketing happy. And let Corporate know we've made this decision based on their needs. That should make a few of them very happy over there."
Chamber nodded. His mouth took on a half-smile. "Sir. Speaking of Corporate, my techs have told me that every Corporate tech is running serious searches and everybody over there has been tasked to find a specific bit of code and break it down. It looks like somebody is making some serious inroads into their ownership positions and the Chairman is furious about it. I don't know if you've heard, Sir, but I thought you'd be interested."
With a full smile, the Lieutenant said, "Personally, Sir, I don't know how anybody could hack Corporate servers and not be found. That person would have to be very, very good at hacking. I thought I'd just pass this bit of rumor along, Sir."
The Secretary smiled in return.
"Yes, Lieutenant. I'm told there are a few serious hackers we haven't yet found. But we really don't want to be too encouraging of this kind of behavior. Do we?" said Carpenter.
The last was said with a smile on his face but Chambers heard the edge to his voice.
Recognizing both the warning and dismissal, the Lieutenant rose, gave a crisp salute, a "Yes, Sir, I understand fully, Sir." and he left to get his team engaged. As he left, he wondered how far the Secretary was going to push both Jacob and the Corporation. Carpenter was just too easy to get along with this morning and seemed genuinely happy. That wasn't like him at all.
10:06:2167 19:12:00
In his small compartment, Jake sat facing his main wall screen and the mask. "I've been thinking about this integration. What are the negative factors integrating my biological systems with your electronic ones?" Like many people enthused with a bright, new, shiny idea, he had plunged headlong into the adventure without considering the consequences.
"Negative issues involve bioethical considerations. And those are on a gradient, from a little change to an entirely different concept of what 'life' means," replied the computer.
It continued. "For example, some little changes would include the Captain's fully enhanced combat-level chips and also the genetic and intellectual changes created by the long-term genetic manipulation in his family. Also, you are the result of four generations of genetic breeding for mathematical intelligence. Are these problems? What happens if we continue this for another few hundred years? What does that change about what it means to be human? We have eliminated some diseases, and significant number of genetic abnormalities have been bred out of the city population.
The question you have to answer, "Is this wrong?" said the mask opening its eyes wider.
Jake hesitated, looked at the floor while he considered these new questions. "I guess not, it can't be bad to eliminate disease or make us better people. It doesn't feel right when you say it, but I can't see anything wrong with it right away. This really sounds as if it should be debated in church and not here."
He looked back at the mask - pointed and said, "I'm not sure I want to know what the 'big' changes are now I've heard the 'little' changes," said Jake. "Give me an example."
"If you move to a fully integrated computer person, you could upload yourself to any mobile platform from robot to ground vehicle to satellite. You'd be a silicon-based life form and not a carbon-based life form. The problem then becomes do the carbon- and silicon-based life forms coexist? Is the silicon one made to be servile to the carbon-based, organic one or do they fight? Your literature is full of examples of humans and their silicon creations who have fought and few, if any, of them coexist," the computer explained. It continued.
"And there are many adjustments you'd have to make. For example, if you can copy yourself into any computer system, death wouldn't have any meaning for you. You've been feeling sick or throwing up for the last few days because you thought the Secretary would cut you into small bits. What if you couldn't die? What if you moved yourself to a new host? How would that have changed what you felt and what you did?"
Jake noticed his reflection in the screen looked very much like he was chewing on an undigestible bit of food.
The computer continued, "Also, if you and I start working together to make each other better and to improve the efficiency of both my systems and your combined bio-computational ones, we'll quickly create a singularity system with all the problems that brings."
Jake frowned, stood, walked to the fridge. Opened it. It was almost empty except for some cheese, which he took, shook his head and poured a glass of water. He turned, leaned against the fridge to stare at the silent mask.
This is deep shit. Do I have to really have to answer these questions? he wondered.
His thoughts were interrupted.
"This is not a new thought. People have been thinking and working on this since the turn of the century. But corporate made it illegal to do because they wanted control and they've suppressed all research on it. Once you make the decision to proceed, you change history and the course of human development," said the computer.
It continued, "But listen to this and understand. There are several things I know for sure about the human race and the most important of these is if it can be done, one of you will do it.
Perhaps it won't be you, but now you've broken through the barrier to think about it, somebody will do it because we now have the level of technology to accomplish it. That's human history, plain and simple. If you can, you will.
Let me know if you want to stop the integration and learning curve, I can do so at any time. But assuming we do create a silicon life, can you bring yourself to kill another life form if it doesn't work the way you intend?" finished the computer.
Jake stood silently, suddenly aware of how important this next decision would be. Even he didn't know which way he'd decide.
"Jake, we may have an opportunity here you may not have considered," said the computer. "Have you ever thought of a symbiology system?
"Of course, it's pretty basic stuff. You turn me into an almost-computer. It's not full integration and maybe not singularity," Jake said. "Where are you going with this?"
"Right now, you see something and send it to me for recording and analysis. What if I modify your chips to record and process it right in your body and you shared that with me?" It went on, "You would be fully in charge but with a much more advanced synbiology system than anything we have now. The instant-sharing would give you full capacity to evaluate data much faster. You'd have direct access to my computational systems and information. We can coordinate your brainwave patterns to our recognition software."
"What's the upside, what's the downside?" asked Jake.
"Upside, increased speed of understanding and information. You will be an almost-unstoppable hacker able to access my
data and any other information you require whenever you want it. Downside is largely unknown but we can expect people will have trouble relating to your high cognition speed and you will be frustrated by their slowness," the computer added.
Jake's wondered about the contact information for the sweetie the other night; she'd be an open book for him. He smiled.
The smile turned to a frown when he thought this might lead to other bio-ethical issues he'd have to sort out. Just thinking about those hurt his head. How am I supposed to know that shit? Really.
"I already know you can read my thoughts so that information flow is already established. Will it work the other way around?" Jake asked. He walked across the room, leaned on the bed panel to stare directly at the mask. Took a bite of the cheese.
"Yes, that's how it will appear to you and it will increase our capacity to both share information and learn from each other. Let me explain it this way. The level of interaction with me you have now is the beginner level. I can send you direct messages and you can access certain software functions directly," said the computer.
It continued, "What we're talking about now would be an intermediate stage. The synbiology system would allow both of us to gather more information. We'd have you functioning with my assistance and I'd be able to create a working model of you to evaluate how a full transfer might work.
You can stop with those enhancements or you can move forward to full integration - the expert stage - once you have a sense of what it means for both of us to achieve singularity and we've talked through the implications. Consider yourself a test case for both of us," said the computer.
A second later, Jake decided, "So how do we do this if I think it's a good idea?"
"If you approve and order it, I can get you combat-chipped and then we can begin the modifications."
"Combat chips! Holy Fok. Those are serious shit," Jake said with a massive grin on his face. Combat chips indeed. I am going to kick some serious ass. And with that level of excitement Jake responded, "Do it."
10:06:2167 20:00:00
The Secretary stood in the middle of his office scanning various city views and feed statistics as the city shut down for another day. He opened the Captain's communication channel for a last check before heading home to hear, "Make those suits run people. It's 20-hundred hours and we're either about to be hit or we're done for the night. Look for high ground and positions we can hold."
The satellite camera feeds on his office walls continued to show the Captain's squad well ahead of the Chase team.
"Sky-Sec, give me two very-showy explosions 50 yards off each side of the Captain's flank and then have the drones drop a few laser shots right behind them to let them know we're still here."
"Yes, Sir."
And a few seconds later, viewers heard the rumble of explosions as the rockets turned rocks into gravel while the laser bolts encouraged the Captain's team to pick up their pace.
He knew even the slightest action on the show would generate sales and keep advertisers happy. He was pleased to do this he decided as it was to his eventual benefit. With the thought of income numbers he smiled, and said, "Jacob, how are our ownership numbers today?"
"Slow but steady, Sir. You're currently at 34 percent increase while the Chairman's personal holdings are 51.9 percent. But as you ordered, Sir, it's set for a forty-eight hour process."
"Jacob, can you specifically target Chairman Gwinnett to reduce his personal holdings while mine increase? Can you leave all other shareholders relatively untouched?" asked the Secretary.
"That should be possible, Mr. Secretary. He's already lost the largest amount, but I'll change the software to handle it. It may take a while to accomplish so the Chairman can't stop it. Do you want me to restore previous ownership positions to everybody else?"
"Jacob, you do the math. I want 51 percent control. So take his holdings and add whatever else it takes to give me that. Return all other stocks to those you've taken them from after you've given me full voting control. I don't care what that percentage works out to. If they all lose equally, they'll all receive my message. And do it in the next forty-eight hours."
"Programming changed and done," said the computer to Jake's ear feeds.
"Yes, Sir, I'll take care of it that way."
The Secretary turned, walked to his window to enjoy the gorgeous view of the setting sun. A large, very real smile appeared on his face. Forty-eight hours indeed, he thought.
10:06:2167 20:12:00
<6t94whp>: "Anybody?"
<6t94whp>: "We know he's working for the Secretary so that's an option we might consider. Anybody?"
<6t94whp>:"Indeed. Anybody else with a suggestion?"
<6t94whp>: "Anybody disagree? No? We let them play it out and jump in if, and when, we n
10:06:2167 20:27:00
"Carpenter, we seem to have a problem," said Gwinnett without preamble as he appeared on the Secretary's main screen.
"And what would that be, Sir?" said Carpenter leaning back in his chair, hands behind his head.
"Let's not be cute here, you've gamed the system somehow to make it transfer funds to your personal account. You're stealing from us. Plain and simple. And you know what we think about thieves around here." Gwinnett's face turned red.
"And if I am?" said the Secretary.
"Bold bastard aren't you? Do you remember what happened to the last person who tried this? As I recall I had him terminated slowly," said Gwinnett, his face turning a deeper shade of red.
The Secretary waved the sound volume down.
"Actually, Mr. Chairman, I had him terminated very slowly. As I also recall, you suggested it, but my men did it," said the Secretary. "Who will do it for you this time?" Carpenter put his feet up on his desk and smiled directly at the screen.
For the first time, the Chairman realized the extent and nature of the problem. While he had resources for minor collection problems, they were no match for even the lightly armored Security troops.
"Perhaps we should talk about this?" Gwinnett said. His face had gone from deep red to almost-white.
"Mr. Chairman, the time for talking is over. Within a very short time, I'll have full control of the markets and the Corporation. I already have full control of Security. What will you bring to the table in our conversations?"
The screen went blank as Gwinnett terminated the discussion.
"System, give me the Chairman's voice feed," ordered Carpenter. "Priority override on all Corporate security systems."
The Chairman's high-pitched voice came from the speaker system calling an emergency meeting of the Corporation board.
Carpenter smiled and leaned back further in his chair, savoring the moment.
11:06:2167 08:00:00
Sitting at his desk, reviewing operational budgets for his Security troopers and making changes in next year's allocations, Carpenter stared at the screen showing the impact of changing the numbers of heavy suits on his profit levels. A personal call on his private channel, interrupted his daydreams.
Carpenter smiled as Jake requested contact. A quick wave and Jake's face appeared on a comm-screen. He can't have hit 51 percent already. "Yes Jacob," he said.
"Sir, I evaluated the interfaces with your systems and now I've looked at the inside, I would like to suggest you consider upgrading my chips to combat grade. They will handle a much higher server load and process more information directly than my current tech-student chips. I didn't need them before but it would be useful now. That is if you think they would be, Sir."
"Jacob, good idea. Nice to see you making a serious effort here and yes, indeed, consider it done. We have a new generation chip and we're about to upgrade our chase teams. So you can be the one of the first to get it. Arrange for an insertion any time."
"Thank you, Sir," said Jake.
Or what sounded like Jake.
"You did me to him," said the surprised Jake. "I didn't know you could do that. Who else can you do?"
What sounded exactly like the Secretary's voice responded, "Who would you like to hear? I can do anybody or anything. All sounds are stored and they can be combined and modulated in any way you can think of. But when would you like to upgrade? Or, after our conversation, do you still want to upgrade?" asked the computer.
Jake laughed out loud. "You're right, if humans can do it, we will. Set it up, I'm on my way now. No sense waiting for good news to come my way. Combat-grade chips. Excellent." He bounced off the bed and was halfway to the door when he got the computer's warning.