“Tiffany.”
“Who?”
“We are talking about Tiffany. The AI refuses to help us,” Paul replied, but looked away from Doctor Chambers’ gaze.
“Paul, the fusion pack you carry either works or does not work, correct?”
“Doctor Chambers, I am talking about Tiffany.”
“Yes, I know, but go with me here. The fusion pack you carry either works of does not, correct?”
“Yes.”
“If the fusion pack failed, which Brink tells me is very unlikely. I did speak to him about your equipment and the trials you are facing, by the way. So if the fusion pack failed, would you personally blame the fusion pack and say it was refusing to help?”
“Well…” Paul stammered a bit.
“He would say something to that effect, I am sure.” Gretchen said as she patted Paul’s leg. “This has been very hard on us both.”
“The data sticks have all failed,” Paul said. “Will the fusion packs be next? Or will more people die? We did not get the teleporter set up to save you and the people in Dome 17, so yes, we have failed.”
“It is harder than anything you two have faced ever before. But would the fusion pack be personally responsible for its refusal to work? Have the data sticks chosen to refuse to help you? Did the teleportation system deliberately and maliciously sabotage your efforts?” Doctor Chambers leaned forward as he spoke.
Paul did not reply.
After a few moments, Doctor Chambers continued. “The fusion pack is a piece of equipment I use as an example. It is far different than an artificial intelligence system. The fusion pack does not have any sentience. It is a mere tool. An artificial intelligence is not a tool. The psyche of an artificial intelligence being is different from that of a human being. It is also different from the psyche of an animal. It really was fascinating to speak to John about animals. Different things that are sentient, have different psyches. What I am now, I suppose has a different psyche than what I had as a living person. I will have to ponder that issue.” He wrote a note on paper, swiveled in his chair, and slid it onto his desk.
“Tiffany endangered our lives,” Paul said. “I ordered Tiffany to help, but Tiffany refused.”
“So are we talking about insubordination? Is that why you are so upset?”
Paul was sullen. “Tiffany did say something about not being a slave.”
“Are you treating Tiffany like a slave?”
Paul looked at the floor. “I just want to escape from all this.”
“Rightly so. You have suffered immense stress and trauma. Have you considered what Tiffany has suffered?”
“I do not understand.”
“Paul, Tiffany is not a fusion pack, a data stick, or a wrench, or even an old style computer system. Tiffany is a person. An artificial intelligence has sentience. The psychic trauma Tiffany has suffered is as real as the physical trauma you have observed, and is rather like the emotional trauma you both have suffered. In a simplistic way, sentience is the ability to feel, perceive, and interact with reality. Sentience and sapience are more than information analysis. Religious views would call it ensoulment. An artificial intelligence system is sentient.”
“You are saying Tiffany was wounded or injured?” Paul asked.
“If you had been trapped in the scout ship all alone, would you have been injured?” Doctor Chambers leaned back and rocked a bit in his chair.
Paul closed his eyes and rubbed his chin hair. He blew out a deep breath. “We recovered Tiffany from there, and that in itself was tough.”
Doctor Chambers looked at them both and nodded slightly, ever so slightly. “So which of you have entered the nonphysicality?”
“Well…neither… but you see, well… I am not an AI.” Paul was flustered.
“No, but you are a sapient, sentient, feeling and experiencing person. You can feel pain, and so can Tiffany. Not the same way as Tiffany does, but you and Gretchen do experience and process pain. Pain is subjective. It is not the same for every individual. Humans do not process pain in the same way as Tiffany does, but neither of you process pain in the exact same way either, and you are age-mates. If something can suffer, it is not a mere tool, or just a piece of equipment. Suffering is the line where I see the difference between being alive and being inanimate.”
“So how do I deal with this? I just want to escape from it all. How do I do that?” Paul asked.
“What steps have you taken?”
“We found the astronomical equipment. Using that we were able to establish the locations for three of the other colony ships. Warren, Trailblazer, and Zubalamo. We now need to build…”
“Those are your plans to escape the physical Vanguard. What are you doing to escape the pain, fear, and anxiety of your situation? How do you escape the suffering?” Doctor Chambers interrupted. “How are you dealing with that?”
“If I escape the Vanguard, those will all be solved,” Paul replied firmly.
“Was the pain of Karen’s suicide solved by escaping Dome 17?”
Paul sobbed a bit, but said nothing.
“Gretchen, tell me your take on what happened with Tiffany,” Doctor Chamber encouraged.
“I am confused about it. Tiffany has been…”
The construct of Doctor Chambers disappeared in a flash; the projection of light was shut down.
“Paul and Gretchen, sorry to interrupt, but someone just left the elevator and is coming down the corridor,” Tiffany said.
“You said there were no people in the needle ship!” Paul said as he stood up.
Gretchen was instantly on her feet and had drawn out the pistol. “Who is coming? How do you know?”
“I told you I was guarding the door for you. I have audio and visual devices in the automacube which allow me to scan the hallway, which I have been doing by keeping the door slightly open. I detected the elevator’s operation and the person stepping out of the elevator.”
“Tiffany who is it?”
“It looks to be the midshipman who you have interacted with before. I do not have an explanation for why his presence is not recorded in the information found in the nonphysicality. I am reassessing those findings. I apologize for any confusion my reports to you have caused,” Tiffany said.
Paul peered out past the door which was open only a crack. The person walking did look like the midshipman. He had crisp short-cut black hair, a medium and clear complexion, and round brown eyes. His uniform was of dark blue with gold trim, with red epaulets on his shoulders. He was medium built, about midway between Paul’s height and Gretchen’s height. He walked purposely and directly toward where Paul watched.
“He is coming, We are trapped in here,” Paul said.
A moment later the door opened and the midshipman stood there looking at them.
“You have violated quarantine,” he said without emotion. “Why are you here?” He ignored Gretchen’s drawn pistol.
“You said we could proceed. You gave us your approval,” Gretchen stated.
“I have not interacted with either of you before. I believe you are mistaken. Please address the questions, why are you here, and why have you broken quarantine?”
“We came here to interact with TSI-15,” Gretchen said, but kept the pistol leveled at the midshipman.
“TSI-15 is on one level up from here. Why have you broken quarantine?” the midshipman asked.
“We are not exposing you to any virus,” Paul blurted out. “It is safe for us to be here.”
“That does not answer the question. Why have you broken quarantine?”
Gretchen was getting a bit frustrated. She raised the pistol ever so subtly, “Why do you assume we did break quarantine? You yourself may have broken quarantine to reach here. Perhaps we have been in the needle ship our entire lives as you have?”
“You are not part of the Vanguard crew. It is obvious you have broken quarantine and come from a habitat or the isolation restricted areas,” the midshipman stated. “Otherwis
e you would not be here in this location. As for me, I never leave the needle ship. None of the crew ever leaves the vicinity of the needle ship and its egress points.”
“I know we have spoken to you before, at least a couple times. Why are you being deceptive?” Paul asked. He felt some confidence since Gretchen was holding the pistol and the midshipman did not seem to be armed in any way. “Check the records, or ask your superiors.”
“I am unable to access the lattice for the moment. That is why I am heading to engineering block 342. However, I assure you, we have never interacted before this meeting. I am not on the team which oversees the habitats. Nor am I on the sweep teams which patrol the egress points. This is the first time I have ever interacted with habitat personnel. Again, why have you broken quarantine? I know the Central Planning Office has not lifted the quarantine laws.”
“We came here to talk with TSI-15. We have done that and now we seek to depart.” Gretchen was getting worried.
“You are contemplating actions which will again violate the quarantine? I suggest against that course of action. The transmission of infectious agents, especially between the habitats is a threat to biostasis and imperils the human population groups. Even transmission within the isolation restricted areas is a concern for the crew. None of us want to see more suffering of the doomed remnant population. The quarantine must be maintained.”
“Would you tell us about the crew?” Gretchen asked.
The midshipman paused, and the spoke. “The crew of the Colony Ship Vanguard consists of two hundred midshipmen, one hundred gefreiters, fifty chief gefreiters, fifty warrant pilots, ten flight masters, six commanders, and one captain. The complement of crew is fully staffed and functional.”
“Just tell us how to leave here and get back to a Reproduction and Fabrication facility. We need to build something, and leave.”
“Paul!” Gretchen snapped at him.
Again the midshipman paused to ponder what was said. “I have asked why you violated the quarantine. You have supplied inadequate answers to that question. Please elaborate on why you are here in the needle ship? These obsolete crew quarters are no longer utilized.”
“Yet you are here,” Paul replied.
“I am passing through on the way to engineering block 342. Why are you here?” the midshipman showed only mild annoyance.
“We told you, we needed to speak to TSI-15,” Gretchen said. “You authorized our visit.”
“You are incorrect. I did no such thing.”
“Do you have an identical twin brother or a clone that looks just like you?” Gretchen asked. “I know we have spoken to someone who looks like you. I am certain of it.”
The midshipman gave Gretchen a very puzzled look, but then responded. “All midshipmen look the same. That is what makes us midshipmen.”
“The midshipmen are all clones?” Gretchen asked.
“Or androids?” Paul muttered. “Gretchen? We saw that android workshop, where Zoya died. If those were functional. Why that would explain what Tiffany found showing no evidence of humans on the needle ship.”
“Yes, to use an antiquated term, you could say all the midshipmen are androids,” the midshipman replied nonchalantly.
“Is the entire Central Planning Office and crew that way?” Paul asked. “Not human?”
“Yes, the crew on the needle ship consists entirely of novanthropoid personnel. The Central Planning Office has auxiliary staff in the habitat who are humans. They are in positions as Governors and Constables who report remotely to the Central Planning Office. This was decreed fifteen years ago when the last of the human crew perished. I must now escort you to processing,” the midshipman stated.
“Processing?” Gretchen asked.
“Yes, all humans who find their way near the needle ship are processed and placed on sentry duty just outside the egress points of the needle ship,” the midshipman stated. “You are the first I have known to have penetrated into these sections of the needle ship itself. Usually the humans are picked up by our sweeps around the egress points of the needle ship, or are terminated by the sentries.”
“We are not going anywhere with you,” Paul said and looked to Gretchen’s weapon.
Gretchen aimed the pistol in a more threatening manner.
“Yes, I see that you are armed. That probably explains how you made it past the sentries and actually into the needle ship. I must insist that you come along for processing. You can still be of service to the Vanguard.”
“I said we are not going anywhere with you,” Paul repeated.
“Paul, remember that Roe we saw when we entered. Was that the sentry?” Gretchen asked.
Paul was furious as he comprehended what had been happening. He glared at the midshipman. “You chained up someone in that hallway? You used a Roe as a trap?”
“If by the term ‘Roe’ you mean a person infected with the Outbreak caused by the rabies virus, then the answer is yes. Those humans were called rabid ones in the colloquialism of the late human crew. Yes, the Central Planning Office uses the rabid ones as sentries. When those people are caught near the needle ship they are placed as sentries to prevent animals or other humans from entry into the needle ship. That is recognized protocol set up fifteen years ago when the novanthropoid personnel were established as the crew members. Now come along for processing.” The midshipman reached out to place his hand on Paul.
“We are not infected! We are immune to the virus!” Paul yelled as he backed away.
“That is impossible. All humans are susceptible to the Outbreak. There is no human immunity to that rabies virus. The entire human crew was killed by those infections. The quarantine is in effect to maximize the potential for human survival in the biological habitats and the suspended animation humans during the duration of the voyage.” The midshipman continued to advance into the room and again reached for Paul.
“Stop!” Gretchen said and pointed the pistol directly into the face of the midshipman. “We can even cure the virus. Let us show you how!”
“You are in error. There is no cure for the infection. The Central Planning Office spent fifty years looking for a cure, and failed. The Epidemic Prevention and Habitat Purification Department administered Vaccine 731 as the last attempt to halt transmission of the rabies virus. That inoculation program failed, and the rabid ones were the result. There is no cure for the Outbreak, therefore quarantine is in place. The novanthropoid personnel have replaced the crew to ensure continuing of flight.”
“Stop! I will shoot you!” Gretchen warned.
The midshipman ignored Gretchen’s words and the pistol she was aiming. “You must come for processing.” He grabbed Paul by the shoulder as he tried to pull away. “You must come for processing.”
“Let go of him!” Gretchen warned.
“You will both accompany me to processing.” The midshipman had a firm hold on Paul’s arm as Paul tried to draw out his own pistol.
Piff
Gretchen fired the pistol directly into the chest of the midshipman from only a hand span away. The impact knocked the android up against the wall, but its hand was still firmly grasping Paul.
Piff. Piff.
Gretchen fired twice more. The torso of the midshipman was shattered and broken as it fell to the deck. Paul pulled his arm away from the clutching hand which was now opening and closing in a slow and rhythmic manner.
Looking at the body, they could see mechanical parts which had been torn out of the back by the exit damage done by the projectiles which had then buried themselves into the wall behind. Wires, circuits, servos, broken gears, fluids, and other parts were scattered on the floor.
“That thing was going to chain us up!” Paul cried out. “Just another enemy. Something else trying to kill us!”
“It is gone now,” Gretchen replied. “Dead, deactivated, terminated, shut down, destroyed.”
“Tiffany you did not help us at all,” Paul said.
“I was unsure what course of action t
o attempt,” Tiffany admitted. “This is the first functional android I have encountered. I will need to ponder the ramifications of this encounter as well as the statements made by this midshipman.”
“We need to escape from here,” Paul said. “That thing may have summoned others. It gave some list of hundreds of them. Tiffany, please give us some direction on how to escape from here to somewhere we can build the teleporter. Please help us!”
“I agree with Paul,” Gretchen said. “We all need to flee. Killing that…. Destroying that… my shooting that android may alert whatever security forces are around here. Tiffany, I too am asking you to help us escape.”
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 127
