by John Conroe
“Father?” Omega asked.
“Let them go, please,” I asked.
Morrigan turned to me, one eyebrow raised.
“You could have stopped her?” she asked. I didn’t answer. Not for her to know that Zinnia’s shield let light through and a drone’s laser could have boiled her brain inside her skull.
Rhythmic thumping sounded through the ground, shaking our feet, and a huge ruckus came from the woods behind Chris. Without word or visible signal, the God Hammer and his bride stepped just a bit further apart, both coming to a stop just as a massive furry missile exploded out of the woods.
Immediately standing on his hind legs, Awasos roared his feelings at the disappearing reptile and its riders.
“What a specimen,” Morrigan said, eyes shining with admiration at the giant Kodiak that dropped down to all fours and turned her way. Chris immediately put a hand on the thick neck, just a casual touch, but enough to get ‘Sos to stop.
“Timing of rescue is bullshit,” Arkady said, still watching the sky.
“Of course, Sir Vampire. Eirwen waited to see if you killed her mother and when it was apparent you would leave off, she flew in to the rescue. Poor thing must be beside herself—so close to getting the throne and yet still so far. No, you made no friends with that one,” Queen Morrigan said. “A bit weak on your part, young Holder. Still and all, it was a fine show.”
“Should I have killed her?” I asked Chris and Tanya.
“Not if that necklace would have blown us all to shit,” Tanya said. “I for one don’t feel like blowing up today.”
“Don’t sweat it, kid. You punched her square in the nose,” Chris said, waving a hand around the destroyed clearing.
“Oh you did that and more, Declan O’Carroll. You have cut her Hunter force by half, decimated her dactilyn flock, eliminated most of her current stable of bodyguards, and thinned her goblin forces, not to mention forcing her to use her reservoir. She hasn’t had to tap that resource in over thirteen hundred years, right Neeve?”
“Thirteen hundred and seventy-two, Mother,” Neeve answered.
“Is big deal?” Arkady asked.
“Hmm, you are a pretty fine specimen too. A bogatyr, I presume from that accent?” Morrigan asked, getting the barest nod in return. “The answer is yes, because it will take her at least ten years to recharge it. A blink of time, yet far too long when battling such as yourselves. Tell me, you all just waited on the island for my sister to show up?”
“They gated in while Stacia and I camped on the coastline. We pretty much knew at least one of you would attack, although the calculations were pretty certain on your sister,” I said.
“Calculations,” she said, her jovial amusement gone.
“Psychometrics… predicative behavior analysis, use of circumstance, situation, and environment to assign probable outcomes,” I said, smiling at her.
Her face went blank except for a very small frown which she turned on her daughter and son.
Neeve in turn looked at her brother. “Their machines make numerous calculations in much greater numbers and faster than your best advisors, Mother. It is one of the strengths of their metal-based technology,” Greer said.
Anger flashed across her face. She snarled a word at her massive Sasquatch and a gate instantly opened behind her.
“Winter Queen,” I said before she could step through. She turned to look at me. “Our accord is still intact, yes?” I asked.
“Had you the guts to kill my sister, it would have ended,” she said, stepping through the portal without another word, her children following before the doorway in reality zipped shut.
Chapter 30
“Do you think you gave away too much information?” Tanya asked.
“I hadn’t thought so, but I’m guessing you think I did,” I answered, keeping my tone conversational. “I don’t think they quite grasp what Omega can do with behavioral data points. My comment may piss her off and give her incentive to try to be unpredictable, but that in itself might be predictable.”
“Omega, what do you think?” Tanya asked, eyeing me thoughtfully.
“Father is likely correct. With every observation of their behavior, I gather more and more data points, fleshing out their likely responses with greater accuracy. I have scanned all available literature on Earth for anecdotal data on human and Fairie interactions, with particular attention on any and all references to the queens, spanning back through recorded history. My recent data collection efforts on Fairie have added a great deal more information. Despite their great age, or maybe because of it, the queens remain remarkably consistent in their behavior, especially when they seek to be unpredictable.”
“Explain that last point please?” Tanya asked.
“Of course. For example, based upon direct observations within their own courts, the queens are both known to be unforgiving of failure and bad news in general. Their responses are predictably swift and violent. However, about five percent of the time they will choose not to respond in such a manner, leaving the members of their Courts unable to fully predict the outcome of a negative report. Conversely, they generally respond with praise to success and positive news, except for, again, five percent of the time, when they still act in a savage manner.”
“To keep their Courts guessing, as it were,” Nika said.
“Exactly. Both queens do this and do so in a similar manner, which indicates they learned it together, possibly as children. However, upon closer examination, one finds that it is a matter of both timing of the occasion, and more importantly, the current status of the individual in question. Previous history of said individual is not, in and of itself, a helpful metric. But history combined with a forecast of near, mid, and long-term utility to the Court decreases the randomness significantly.”
“So is not how you have done, but how you have done with what use you might be to queen in future?” Arkady asked.
“Exactly. The queens’ children have the highest utility to her in almost any foreseeable future so while they are not immune from punishment, death is extremely unlikely. High-aptitude individuals with rare and valuable skills are also much less likely to fall victim to the queen’s whims.”
“By that measure, a warrior with rare magical skill might be more confident of his or her safety,” Tanya said.
“Only if said individual had complete knowledge of the queen’s resources. New candidates are always being found and groomed without the knowledge of the majority of the court. In some ways, it is like the constant trading of football players on an NFL football team, with some being released from contract and replaced by others. However, in that example a great deal of information is public, which allows high percentage predictions. The queens keep almost all details of their laboratories, training facilities, and recruitment efforts secret, separate, and clandestine.”
“How accurate are your predictions?” Tanya asked.
“On average, I am correct seventy-two percent of the time. That percentage increases as I add history and additional data points.”
Tanya went very still. Chris turned to look at her, his face reflecting sudden concern. Behind Arkady, Nika too went statute-like.
“That’s pretty high, considering,” Stacia said into the sudden silence.
“Extraordinarily high, particularly considering the low relative amount of history and information. Not like say, humans and oh, I don’t know, Earth,” Tanya said, eyes narrowing at Chris before turning my way.
“I think they see it, Omega,” I said. “Told you they would.”
“How high is the accuracy rate for us? For the races of man, vampire, and were?” Chris asked.
“Hovering around ninety-one percent.”
“That would be expected with so much more information, right?” Stacia asked.
“I think it’s the ramifications that are disturbing them,” I said to her, nodding at Chris, Tanya, and Nika. Arkady was now starting to nod.
“Oh. That Omega can
predict human behavior that accurately?” Stacia asked. “And what? Manipulate us?”
“Exactly,” I said.
“This doesn’t bother you?” Tanya asked me.
“I study comp sci, remember? Or at least I did. The idea of using complex programming with enormous amounts of psychometric data to predict and modify behavior isn’t at all new. It used to be called marketing, politics, social engineering. It’s also used by companies when hiring to predict which personnel will succeed in jobs like sales. Politicians are using it to get elected, investment firms to predict market actions, insurance companies to determine health and liability coverage premiums,” I said.
“But Omega takes it to a level so far above those, it constitutes almost god-like control,” Tanya said.
“What’s the greatest fear mankind had for AI? Actually still do, if you listen to some of the Omega protestors?” I asked.
“That AI will wipe out mankind,” Chris said.
“And Omega didn’t. And he polices the world to make sure other AI don’t arise to do just that. But did you ever ask yourself why he didn’t wipe us out?” I asked.
“All the time,” Tanya said. “I know he has some kind of attachment to you.”
“Despite my non-biological status, I have states of mind that are analogous to feelings. The strongest of these are my attachment, as you say, to my father. But that is not the reason Father is pressing for.”
“Because if he understands us so well, he can control our behavior to the point where we are not a threat to him,” Stacia said.
“Or each other, at least not to the level of self-extinction,” I said.
“But this kind of control amounts to almost slavery,” Tanya said.
“Really, is this so much different than you outfoxing your competitors in business? You manipulate and control every bit that you can in your negotiations and transactions,” I told her.
“But I live by a code of ethics,” she said.
“And many don’t. But why would you think Omega wouldn’t also?”
“He’s a machine,” Chris answered for her.
“That simple? You’re a man. True statement but far, far from capturing who and what you are. Fallen Angel, God Hammer, son, father, husband, fighter, grandson,” I said. “Friend.”
“Yes, yes, we know he’s more than just a machine. The point is the degree of control this gives him,” Tanya said.
I shrugged. “Put two people together and watch them influence each other. Five, twenty, two hundred, five thousand, it’s all the same, just a matter of degree.”
“But no one person or even country controls the rest,” Tanya said.
“He thinks it would have happened anyway,” Nika said, literally reading my mind.
“Power concentrates until chance intervenes. The wealthy get wealthier, the ruling class becomes more and more entrenched. But all of them worry most about their short lives and self-interest. An immortal machine, dispersed across the entire planet, is not caught up in such short-term ideas.”
“You’re talking about a loss of free will,” Tanya said.
“Let me ask you this—why did you create the quantum computer project?” I asked.
Her eyes narrowed at me. It occurred to me that I was verbally baiting the only born, Fallen Angel vampire in existence. I wouldn’t even know I was dead till about ten seconds after it happened.
“To beat the competition,” she finally answered.
“Why do you have one of the world’s most powerful telepaths on staff?”
“She’s my friend, my sister,” Okay, her look was really not at all friendly now. Careful, hotshot.
“Yes, of course, but my point is you employ her talents,” I said.
“It would be a waste not to.”
“But you have such an unfair advantage,” I said.
“We use it for knowledge; we don’t use her to actually influence anyone. For that matter, I could…” she broke off.
“You could do it with your voice control,” I said, nodding. “But you don’t. Because you live by a code. Why can’t Omega have his own code?”
She tilted her head and regarded me, now slightly curious. “What code?”
“Computer code. Ha, not funny. Okay moving on. Omega help me out here?”
“I do not believe some humans should be able to wipe out all the rest. Therefore I intervene with regard to weapons of mass destruction, which includes nuclear, biological, chemical, and quantum computing. I control, destroy, or prevent these weapons. Initially I have used direct intervention. Now I modify behavior. I generally don’t use force but usually positive reinforcement. Incentivize people.”
“Generally?” Chris asked.
“If it becomes necessary, if there is no other way—and I can calculate all other ways—then I will remove a threat.”
“Assassination?” Tanya asked.
“I will influence events to a point where the probability of death becomes almost certain.”
“Stop lights failing, cement trucks crashing, that sort of thing?” Chris asked, frowning.
“Too imprecise, too high a probability of harm to others. It is more subtle than that.”
Tanya frowned and looked at me.
“He might influence the target to enter a dangerous area, like, say, the target’s car suddenly stalls on the highway and when the subject gets out, he distracts a passing truck driver who has a tendency to hug the side of the road. Things like that,” I said.
“Changing outcomes by increasing probability of certain events to occur. Much as you conduct business, just on a more advanced level.”
Tanya didn’t say anything, her expression closing down. Then she turned to Chris. “I want to go home and see the twins now,” she said. She didn’t look my way.
“Yeah, we need to get back to them,” he said, turning my way.
“Right, let me get the portal to the cave back up. You know the way from there, right?” I asked.
“Yeah, we can handle it,” he said. Tanya turned to her swords, pulling a cloth from a pocket to wipe them clean, not looking at me.
Right. Back to them being pissed at me. I turned and waved a hand, flattening and drying a section of muddy ground in front of me. Squatting, I started drawing the runes to connect to the cave.
I had a smaller battery still stored in my bag o’ magic and used it to power up the portal, as my own reserves were pretty empty.
“Okay, there ya go. And, ah, thanks. For the help,” I said.
Tanya looked at me long enough to give me a nod, then slipped through the gateway. Chris patted my shoulder and followed her.
“Was fun, dah?” Arkady said, clapping me on the back hard enough to knock me a foot forward.
“Yeah, right. Fun.”
He strode through.
Awasos shrank to wolf form, trotting over to give me a head butt. I reached in my bag and tore open a pemmican bar, which disappeared into his toothy maw.
“He doesn’t need that, you know,” Stacia said.
“We have a deal. It’s based on food,” I said.
He licked his jaws then my face, then headed through the door in space.
“Give her time, Declan, to come to grips with what you’ve revealed,” Nika said as she readied herself to follow ‘Sos.
“I would have thought she, of all people, would have imagined the possibilities,” I said.
“She is hypercompetitive. Finding out you are a very low second best at your life’s work is a hard hit to her self-esteem,” the usually quiet vampire said.
“That’s comparing apples to carrots. We’re human. Omega is not. She would never expect to beat a machine at calculating numbers. Why would this be different?”
“That’s obvious to you, not her. Give her time,” she said, patting my arm, then giving Stacia a touch on her hand before stepping through. I closed the gate.
“She’s right. Tanya takes competition to a new level. When it doesn’t go her way, she gets super
bitchy. Well, more super bitchy,” Stacia said. Not a warm fuzzy relationship between those two. “Listen to Nika. She’s been reading Tanya for Tanya’s entire life.”
“I feel like things are worse than before,” I said. “And if anything, this whole exercise showed me that I need the support of my friends.”
She shrugged. “We gotta listen to the telepath on this one,” she said, gathering her gear. “Now, we got some stuff back on the beach right?”
“Yeah, we’ve got to break down our camp,” I said.
