The wall chimed and the image of the computerized young woman appeared. “What do you wish to talk about, Nathan?”
“I want to talk about the murder that happened in the hallway this morning. Did your door monitor camera record who committed the crime?”
“Retrieving video, stand by.” The image of the woman changed to that of the hallway. The fish eye lens distorted the image, however it was still possible to identify Lisa as she left her apartment and begin to walk down the corridor towards Nathan and Jonathan’s apartment. As she drew near their door, one of the corridor dwellers leapt up from the floor and grabbed her from behind, taking her completely by surprise. She struggled mightily and nearly broke free. She failed. Her attacker drew a large knife and slit her throat in one fluid motion. Arterial blood spurted high into the air splattering the walls, the floor and even the ceiling. Her attacker quickly released his grip upon her and jumped back out of range of the grotesque fountain. The doomed woman put her hands to her neck, trying to staunch the flow. It was hopeless. She stepped back, running hard into the wall with a thud. She stood there for a second, dazed, and then her knees went weak and she slowly slid down the wall into a sitting position. The light in her green eyes flickered and went out. She died just as she came to rest upon the floor. The murderer watched her warily for several seconds, to ascertain that she was indeed dead and posed no threat. Satisfied, he grabbed her purse, dumped it onto the floor and, finding her wallet, removed the credits. Stuffing them into his pocket, he turned and ran from the corridor. “Computer, stop playback,” said Nathan.
“Playback stopped.”
“Computer, were you able to get an identity from the attacker’s face?”
“Negative, the hooded jacket obscured his face.”
“Were you able to identify him by any other method? Clothing, size, weight, etcetera?”
“Negative. Determining an identity using those parameters alone only has a 6.3% success rate. In this case, he does not fit the description of any of the usual corridor dwellers. It is likely he infiltrated this apartment complex with the express intent of performing a robbery. The chance of determining an accurate identity is near zero percent.” The computerized woman’s face showed regret. “I am sorry, Nathan.”
“It’s okay Computer,” Nathan said sadly. “It was a fool’s search after all. Even if we had identified him, the police do not care and would have done nothing.” Nathan stared at the simulated woman looking at him and said, “It would have been nice to do something about Lisa’s murder. She was nice. She never hurt anyone.” The computerized woman looked at him in simulated compassion. Nathan continued, “How far society has fallen. People just do not see. I cannot believe that the police refused to investigate her murder. Not only that, they threatened to arrest me for reporting it!” Nathan put his head in his hands and forlornly asked, “Why do we go on in a world that is so fracked up? What is the meaning of life?”
The woman’s face changed to a smirk and she said, “Forty-two.”
Nathan lifted his head from his hands and laughed. “No computer, don’t give me that old Douglas Adams joke! I am serious, what is the point of going on?”
The computer softly said, “I cannot answer that for you Nathan. If you truly do not wish to go on living I can connect you to the nearest Eternal Rest Recycling Center for an appointment.”
Shocked, Nathan quickly said, “No computer! I do not wish to die! I just wish for something better. That is all. I wish the world were still as it was in those old 20th century nature videos. It is so hard to believe that the human race has been so shortsighted.” Taking a deep breath, Nathan asked, “How long before society collapses based on the latest projected data?”
The computer chimed and said, “Stand by, calculating.” After a long pause, the computer said, “Based upon best current projections, there is an 87% chance that society will reach complete collapse in one year, seven months and fourteen days.”
Nathan sat bolt upright, unable to speak. Finally, he was able to say in a shaky voice, “That soon? How accurate is that projection?”
“Yes, that soon. The projection is 87% accurate.”
Nathan said nothing for several long seconds and then he said, “Is there no hope for us? No hope at all?” The computer said nothing. Nathan looked up to the screen and said, “Computer?”
The computer chimed and said, “Yes, Nathan there is hope. There is The Starship Project.”
An electric thrill ran through Nathan. “The Starship Project?” he asked.
“Yes Nathan,” the computer responded. “The Starship Project is mankind’s only hope.”
Nathan snapped to a decision. To the computer he said, “Connect me to The Starship Project’s web site.”
Chapter 3: The Starship Project
“Connecting to WWW.STARSHIPPROJECT.ORG. Please stand by, loading avatar,” said the computer. After a brief pause, the wall changed and displayed The Starship Project home page. An obviously digitally generated image appeared. A man stood in a gleaming white environmental suit at the side of a gigantic spaceship. He held the suit’s helmet in his hands as he breathed deeply and smiled at the camera. The spaceship sat horizontally on massive struts upon the ground in a grassy meadow that extended for some distance in all directions. In the meadow ran a herd of four-footed herbivores. Similar to, but obviously not, the extinct bison of Earth. To his side stood a couple large trees. Flitting among the branches were some sort of flying creatures. The simulated astronaut spread his arms and began speaking.
“This simulated world could be humanity’s new home. You could be the one who discovers it and saves humanity from extinction. The Starship Project is actively seeking individuals to pilot our new hyper-drive exploration starships on a voyage of discovery. Each ship is a self-contained environment capable of supporting the pilot in comfort on his or her voyage of discovery. All that is missing is you! You could be the next Christopher Columbus or Ferdinand Magellan. To begin, please select from the following options:”
Member Login.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Application to be a pilot.
Application to be a colonist.
Nathan stood motionless, staring at the screen. Finally, he said, “Computer, select ‘Application to be a pilot’.”
The man in the spacesuit said, “In order to sign up for the program, you must have first read the entire Frequently Asked Questions portion of this website. Do you wish to read the FAQ now?”
“Yes, please.”
“Excellent, please select from the following items or say ‘Read them all’.”
How do I know if I qualify?
How much does this cost?
What sort of training will I receive?
How long will I be away?
What if something goes wrong?
How many others will be on the ship with me?
What happens if I discover a new planet?
What do I do if I discover intelligent aliens?
Nathan stood rubbing his chin for several seconds and then said, “Read them all please.”
The simulated man said, “Excellent. I will begin at the first question; ‘How do I know if I qualify?’ Our rigorous testing process will determine your suitability. If you are in good mental and physical health, have an IQ of at least 120, are between the ages of eighteen and fifty, have a basic understanding of computing devices, and can operate independently, there is a good chance you will be accepted into the program.”
“The cost of the program is 100% covered by the world government. There will be no out of pocket expenses. Humanity is in dire need of a new home so your government does not want potential pilots to refuse to apply for monetary reasons.”
“You will receive basic instruction on how to interface with the training manuals on the ship’s computer. Our starships are equipped with our best and latest state of the art artificial intelligence. The ship’s computer will run the ship for you. Your initial
duty will be to familiarize yourself with the training materials. The trip between adjacent star systems averages two weeks, so there will be plenty of time for you to study. Once you have reached an acceptable level of understanding, you may begin to take over functions from the computer… or you may let the computer continue to control everything. It will be your choice. The computer is more than capable of running day-to-day operations. What the computer lacks is insight. This is why we are sending human pilots rather than just artificial intelligence controlled probes.”
“The next question, ‘How long will I be away?’ is difficult to precisely answer. If accepted into the program, you are indentured until you find a planet or moon of interest. A planet or moon of interest can be one of the following. A world with an abundance of natural resources, a world where survival for humans is possible with minimal environmental suits or ideally, a world where mankind can survive without benefit of an environmental suit. Since there is no sure way to predict which star systems will have a suitable world, we cannot predict how long you will be out there. Please be aware that several hundred starships have already launched so that all of the nearby systems have already been explored. You should expect to be in space for many years in order to fulfill your contract.”
“There is no fear of becoming lost in space due to equipment failure. Each starship has quintuple redundancy to all critical systems. This means that four fifths of each critical systems could fail and the starship would still function in complete safety. In addition to systems redundancy, hundreds of spare parts for each system are packed inside of each ship. In the event of a medical emergency, the medical androids are capable of performing any life-saving procedure. We want you to succeed. Humanity needs you to succeed. Rest assured that all we can do to ensure your success has been taken into account.”
“You will be the only person on the starship. A psychological profile will be performed on each applicant. The process weeds out any person who will be unable to handle the solitude of the journey. The state-of-the-art artificially intelligent ship’s avatar installed on your computer is programmed to provide emotional support of the pilot as well as running the ship’s systems. The avatar is loaded with a default emotional profile that, by itself, can help the pilot cope with the long isolation of his or her journey. What makes the avatar so powerful is that it is designed to learn, to expand upon its initial programming. What this means is that the avatar will learn your personality and update its programming accordingly. You will have a virtual friend designed specifically for your companionship.”
“If you discover a planet or moon of interest, it is simplicity itself to report your discovery to earth. Your ship is equipped with two thousand, five hundred hyper-speed probes. These probes are capable of much faster travel than your starship. Upon determination that a world is noteworthy, you will instruct the computer to load all scan and position data on the world into a probe and immediately launch it on the shortest safe route back to Earth. You ship also will contain ten thousand marker buoys. As you survey each system, you will launch a buoy that will broadcast system data, which will allow a passing starship to avoid wasting its time surveying a system that has already been visited. If you are the one to discover humankind’s new home, you are to remain on the planet to assist the colonists upon their arrival. As a reward for such a momentous find, you will be granted 51% ownership of the world with the remainder of ownership going to The Starship Project.”
“If you discover an intelligent alien race you are not to make contact. In the event of a discovery, you are to immediately launch a probe to Earth detailing the discovery. Next, you are to place a buoy in warning mode to protect other ships from the possible menace. Earth will dispatch scientists to study the aliens to determine if they can be friends or if they pose a menace to humanity. After you perform the above duties, you are to retreat from the system at all possible speed.”
The spaceman avatar stood smiling motionless with his hands at his side for several seconds and then he said, “This concludes the FAQ. Are there any questions that you have that were not covered?”
Nathan stared at the screen with a contemplative expression on his face. “How long could I stay out there? Assuming that I do not find anything right away, how many supplies will my ship have?”
The avatar remained motionless for several seconds before becoming re-animated. It responded, “Each ship’s reactors are good for five hundred years. Each ship contains enough food for a journey of one hundred years. We do not wish supplies to be the limiting factor in your exploration. You could conceivably spend your entire lifetime on your voyage of discovery for humankind.” The avatar froze for a second and then asked, “Did that answer your question to your satisfaction?”
“Yes, it did thank you.”
“Do you have any further questions?”
“Yes, if I apply, how long will I have to wait before I know if I am accepted?”
The brief pause spoiled the illusion that Nathan was talking to a real person. The avatar unfroze and said, “Upon completion of the application process, you will immediately be informed of your acceptance or rejection.” The avatar again froze for a second and asked, “Did that answer your question to your satisfaction?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Do you have any further questions?”
“No thank you.”
“Very good. Do you will to exit or do you wish to apply to the program?”
Nathan sat there thinking. Motionless. “Do I want to remain on this dying world awaiting the end? No, I don’t think so. Jonathan will be so mad at me. So what? He has his head so far firmly up his rectum and cannot see that the world is doomed. I am going to do it!” Lifting his head to the wall, he said in a determined voice, “Apply to be a pilot, please.”
Chapter 4: The Application
The simulated man smiled his simulated smile and said, “Thank you for your decision to apply to The Starship Project. Please stand by while I transfer you to the application avatar.” The wall screen changed to display an idealized woman who sat at a simulated expensive wooden desk. Her hair was long and straight and she tied it back into a ponytail. A carefully designed aura of professionalism oozed from the image.
The woman avatar unfroze and began to speak. “Hello and thank you for your decision to apply to be a starship pilot. To begin, please place your hand with your RFID chip installed by the scanner on your computer.”
Nathan reached over and placed his right hand upon the scanner. The wall chimed and the avatar said, “Thank you, retrieving your data. Stand by.” The avatar appeared to study a monitor upon her virtual desk for several seconds and then continued, “Very well, I show you as being Nathan Staite, world identification designation 14652FM-7055CW. Current address is shown as hive complex number 432,100, apartment number 160M, Lake Placid, New York, North America, Earth. Is this information correct Nathan Staite?”
“Yes, that is accurate.”
After another ‘uncanny valley’ pause she continued, “Excellent. Do you give me permission to download your medical records Nathan Staite?”
Nathan laughed and said, “Nathan will do just fine. There is no need to be so formal. Yes, I grant you permission to access my medical records for the duration of this interview.”
“Very well Nathan. The stipulation of our access to your records for only the duration of this interview is acceptable. However, please note that that if you are accepted into the program, you will be required to grant us full access to all medical data for as long and you are a participant. Is this understood Nathan?”
“Yes, understood.”
“Very good Nathan, stand by, retrieving medical data.” The avatar again stared at her monitor as if reading. “I wonder if they actually think people are fooled by this,” thought Nathan. “Very good Nathan, I have your data on my screen. Before we begin the medical portion of the application, please confirm that your stored medical data is accurate and up to date to the bes
t of your knowledge.”
Nathan studied the copy of his information on his screen and then said, “Yes, to the best of my knowledge, the data is accurate.”
“Very good Nathan. Your birthday is February 16, 2080. Your age is within the acceptable range of eighteen to fifty. No known allergies or debilitating medical issues. Very good.” The virtual woman furrowed her brow in a frown. “I see you listed as being not sterilized. Normally that would be a cause of concern for your level of social responsibility. However for the purpose of this project, it is irrelevant since there will be no companion on your ship, any pregnancies will be impossible. Do you care to explain why you have not done your social duty?”
Nathan felt a moment of panic. “Why have I not done it?” he wondered. “I have to say something. Think Nathan, think!” Nathan’s face lit up as an idea came to him. He said, “I have no intention of procreating. I keep my contraceptive shots up to date. I have not been sterilized as…. a sort of an insurance policy. Right now, I have a good job. I am saving my sterilization so that if I lose employment, I can get it done so that I receive my sterilization benefit and have extra credits to live on until I find another job.”
After another pause, too long for a real human conversation, the avatar said, “Very good Nathan. That is an acceptable response. It shows planning and initiative. Very good.” The woman typed at her computer and said, “Very good Nathan, this concludes the medical portion of the application process. You have passed this phase. Next, we move on to the psychological exam. Please be aware that all data collected will remain confidential and will not be disclosed outside of the project. Do you consent to this psychological exam Nathan?”
“Yes, I do,” said Nathan with a nervous catch in his voice.
The Silence Between the Stars Page 3
