by Joe Nobody
“So, the world thinks he’s dead and that the rogue software program died with him. I understand that. But why not destroy what you have there in your hand? Why not encase it in a hundred pounds of concrete and sink it into the ocean?”
“William told me that there were other people working on computer systems that were nearly as capable as Gravity Well. That’s where I’ve been the last two weeks, making sure this whole thing didn’t start all over again. Even so, there’s a chance that someone, somewhere, will recreate that monster, and if they do, we may need to fight fire with fire.”
She didn’t like it, “You want to use it as a weapon as well. You want to keep it for yourself.”
“Only in defense,” he replied. “My prayer is that it never leaves this grotto unless we need it to protect ourselves.”
Kit wasn’t sure and voiced her doubts. “You’re the most honorable man I’ve ever met, Griffin Storm. Still, this worries me. The temptation… the knowing that you could basically control all of mankind with what’s in that container. Are you sure about this? Are you positive it wouldn’t be better to destroy that thing and be done with it?”
Shaking his head, his tone became thoughtful and low. “Oh, believe me, I’ve thought about that a hundred times since Seattle. The problem is, I can’t bring myself to do it. What is secured in this titanium vessel is amazing… an evolution… a work of art… an advancement of mankind that rivals landing on the moon or curing cancer. It is just a tool, no different than our pistols, not inherently criminal or vicious if left to its own accord. Even William wasn’t acting for himself, but to save us. He really believes that. In fact, if he hadn’t been manipulating the puppet’s strings, it wouldn’t have taken any action. Again, flawed humanity was in the loop. A person had to pull the trigger.”
“And?” she scowled, not knowing where Griff was going.
“Gravity Well’s data was correct, Kit. Think about it for a second. Humanity is on a downward spiral, barely hanging on to what we’ve accomplished. Look at the scum, corruption, and pure evil we both deal with on a day to day basis. You watch the news; you know what’s going on. Mankind’s problems are getting progressively worse. Our ability to deal with challenges from nuclear proliferation to environmental change is being tested, and we’re failing. We will eventually run out of resources. The problems are too complex, the solutions slow or ineffective. A time might come when this software could offer alternatives for mankind that truly would represent our only salvation. I think it would be premature to destroy it.”
Kit was having trouble digesting his words, her eyes darting around the rock room as her brain worked through his message. “We don’t have the right to possess this kind of power, Griff. Who would make the decision when and where Gravity Well is used? When do we retrieve it from this cave? Which of us is not flawed? Who is smart enough to wield its power? What set of circumstances would provoke you or I, to play God, or worse, Satan?”
“That why I invited you here, Kit. You’re the only person that I can trust. If something happens to me, or if I start to go rogue, you’ll know it’s here. Together, I’m sure we can ward off any temptation that the devil whispers in our ears. Working as a team, I’m positive we can manage this... keep each other on the straight and narrow.”
She considered his argument for a moment. Deep down, she recognized Gravity Well had tremendous potential and could probably save millions and millions of lives if used for good. She found herself remembering the physicists during the initial stages of splitting the atom. Nuclear energy could further mankind… or destroy it. She wondered how many of those brilliant men would “take it all back,” if they could.
She paced for a while, weighing the options, trying to determine if her friend was right. Gravity Well was so frightening… yet thrilling in so many ways. One thing was for certain; Griffin was right. Mankind might need a little advice from an impartial and predictive software one day.
She finally stopped, turning to face him, trying to read behind his eyes in the dim light. “You do realize that this means we’ll have no choice but to remain close? Keep an eye on each other, right? Joined at the hip, so to speak?”
Griffin’s smile nearly outshone the torch. “Yes, it does. We’ll have to be spending a lot of time together. It will be the truest test of trust and faith I’ve ever known.”
Staring into his eyes as if she wanted to peer into his very soul, she smiled and nodded before leaning into his welcoming embrace. “If we have learned anything, Marshal Storm, it’s that together we are up to the challenge.”
THE END
