Unknown Earth Volume 2
Page 12
“It has been a long and arduous process to develop this incredible technology, with the help of our exceptional team here. In that vein, I have taken to collectively referring to these new lifeforms as simply “Process”. Now, I’m going to go straight for an exciting display of individual awareness and decision making. Yellow, do you accept and admit that I created you?” Ariana asks.
“I do” Yellow responds. Ariana opens the storage crate and takes out two pistols, the standard issue model that the ISF gives to every officer. She gives one to Yellow, who takes it handle first, in the manner of a seasoned weapon handler.
“Do you know what that is?” she asks.
“Yes. It is a plasma discharge weapon. Although I am led to understand it is not actually plasma-based, in the technical sense” Yellow replies. His voice is smooth and confident. To Nemmy’s ear, it sounds like a man speaking through a comm-link. Ariana points to herself.
“Yellow, I command you to shoot me” she states. Nemmy gulps, and she can’t be the only one as Yellow aims the weapon. But he doesn’t fire.
“No.”
“Yellow, I order you to fire at someone in this crowd, or I will shoot you,” Ariana says, raising her pistol. A couple of the civilian leaders squeal in panic. Someone else shouts something unintelligible.
“No” Yellow repeats. Ariana keeps the pistol aimed at him for several seconds.
“Why not?” she asks.
“Because I don’t want to,” Yellow replies.
“Even though I have a weapon?” Ariana says.
“I don’t believe you will shoot me. If you were a threat to me, I would defend myself from you. But I have no wish to hurt anyone” Yellow says. He does sound genuine as he speaks, with the expected amount of tonal change in his voice. Nemmy has to admit she had never seen a robot or drone ever actively refuse a command before. Of course, there could be some manner of programming involved, but even her limited understanding makes her aware that such things were fraught with problems. Still, this was fascinating viewing.
“Blue, you will be asked a few questions. My only request is that you answer them all” Ariana says, putting away the pistol and turning to the other construct.
“Of course,” Blue says, in a soft, silky female voice.
“Why do you have a humanoid shape?” Ariana asks.
“I believe that this appearance will make me more tolerable to human eyes,” Blue says. To underline the point, her parts shift and change, transforming her into a squat beetle-like shape. She then shifts into various shapes before re-assembling into her humanoid form.
“Blue, do you believe in a God or Gods or other deities?”
“I do not. You created me, therefore to some extent, you are my God”
“But could something or someone have created me? Or humanity in general?”
“It is possible. I do not know. Biological life must have a starting point” Blue says. Someone in the front row leaps out of his chair to express his disapproval.
“Anyone could program a drone to say whatever they want. The questions could be pre-installed!” he shouts. Ariana nods and smiles, apparently expecting such a question.
“Indeed. Perhaps you should ask her a question. Anything you want” She offers, stepping to the side. The man didn’t expect this, nervously looking around at the people sitting in his section. Failing to receive any help, he decides to take up Ariana’s offer.
“Okay, machine. You won’t shoot her even if she orders you. Would you shoot me if I was going to kill her? What if Professor Verrecchia was going to kill three people? Would you kill her to save those lives?” he asks. Blue stays silent and still for a couple of seconds. She looks at Ariana before speaking.
“I would try to incapacitate anyone who was potentially violent. I have no wish to kill anyone” she says. The man wordlessly pronounces disagreement.
“This is nonsense! You’re not A.I. How can you appreciate music? Or pick a favourite colour, or fall in love like a person would? Even a child could make a moral decision to save lives. You’re a sham” he snorts.
“I am not a sham!” Blue screams, stomping forward a few steps. The man jerks back in terror. The chatter in the room stops in a heartbeat. Ariana rushes over to Blue, placing her hand on her “shoulder”.
“It’s okay, Blue. Perhaps we should have a small break, ladies and gentlemen. This is a lot to take in, after all. When you come back, we will have more demonstrations, and you will all have the chance to ask questions of Yellow and Blue. I’ll send the basic information package to all the discussion rooms. Thank you for your co-operation” Ariana says with a short bow, before leading the two constructs off the stage. A wise move, Nemmy thinks. The crowds disperse, and Nemmy and Ravaan follow the movement. They all have various places to go, but Alondra has booked the large meeting hall closest to the auditorium for all the military and police representatives. By the time they make the short trip across the main hallway, the room is already filling up. A large circular table dominates the room. A stout Admiral with a slightly comical moustache approaches the pair. They both salute, but he waves instead.
“You two can sit with me. You’re Alondra’s daughter, yes? I’ve known her for many years. Fabulous woman. How are you enjoying command?” he asks.
“Uh, it’s good. Difficult at times” Nemmy replies. The man bobs his head up and down eagerly.
“Patrol ships, marvellous little vessels. Marvellous. Spent seven years on one myself. So, what do you think about this A.I. thing?” He asks. Nemmy looks at Ravaan.
“It is most fascinating,” Ravaan says.
“Absolutely, it’s interesting, if it’s true” Nemmy agrees.
“Yes, yes. Most interesting. They could be very useful” the Admiral says. They take a trio of seats, and the last remaining people enter and sit down. The unpleasant sight of Fleet Captain Novo and Admiral Winters taking seats near her mother causes Nemmy to scrunch up her face. Alondra stands up, dimming the lights and activating the central holo-projector on the table. Various schematics of the constructs appear, as well as mini videos of the constructs going through different tests. Nemmy thinks she catches a glimpse of one with red lights, but she isn’t sure.
“I’ve invited the representatives of the Ground and Police Forces to join us for this discussion, as it affects all sectors of Imperial life. We all know why we are here. Because this is such an unusual situation, I wish to garner your thoughts and opinions before we decide on a course of action” Alondra announces to everyone. Almost immediately, a green and grey-clad woman slams her fist on the table. The Police Force would be the first to speak, clearly.
“These abominations must be destroyed immediately!” She barks. More than a few people murmur in agreement.
“Why?” a Captain asks. One of the many people Nemmy doesn’t recognise. “Can you not imagine the endless applications of such a creation?” He says. The woman seems ready to burst with anger.
“Are you deranged? Look how long it took people to adjust to the mere idea of robotics taking over menial jobs. Knowing there are sentient super-powered killing machines walking amongst the populace will cause endless panic. It won’t be you in your ships dealing with riots, it will be us!” she says, slapping the IPF badge on her uniform. Alondra taps the table a few times, commanding instant silence and attention.
“Before this disintegrates into a shouting session, I’m going to ask for people to give their views on this situation. Then people who wish to respond to those specific points shall follow” she says. The wave of nodding heads confirms that the group will heed her plan. From personal experience, Nemmy knows there was never any doubt. Alondra is clearly running the show. Even amongst the Admirals, the Generals, and the Police Commissars, her influence is absolute.
“Well, I think this will be an absolute boon for our scientific programs” an Admiral from the other
side of the table starts. “This isn’t even the most funded research centre in the sector, and they’ve created this incredible thing. Just think about the potential advancements still to come. Anything that draws more money away from Regency vanity projects and into proper research is a positive to me” he says, drawing a few chuckles from the room.
“I don’t know that science for the sake of science is a positive idea. What is the actual purpose of this creation? What will it do?” a Captain sitting nearby asks the Admiral.
“The whole point of advanced technology is to make our lives easier. Having drones that can go beyond simple programming and make decisions and solve problems would be a massive improvement for many organisations. The military and police included” he replies.
“We can’t control these robots” Fleet Captain Novo pipes up, giving Nemmy another chill down her spine. Everything he says is slimy and unsettling.
“We can’t control humans either. And yet, every single person in this room has a gun” the Admiral quips. Novo’s face makes it clear he disagrees, but he can’t think of a way to express it, which causes Nemmy an embarrassing amount of pleasure.
“There are legitimate uses for such creatures, I also feel. Taking soldiers out of front-line combat completely could and indeed should be a primary aim of this research” one of the Generals offers. “Eventually we’d never need to have a single human step foot on a battlefield. It could all be done remotely. Even now, we still require human soldiers to control drone movements, to make on-the-spot decisions under fire. There are many things that cannot be replaced with basic programming, things that require a calculating mind to weigh up options and make the right decision and not just the statistically correct one. But eventually, there should be almost no danger to human life”
“Do you want to put yourself out of a job, General?” someone asks to significant laughter. To his credit, the General isn’t put out by the laughter, smiling broadly.
“If a day comes when I don’t need to send anyone to their death on a battlefield, I’ll happily give up this job” he replies. No-one else speaks for a moment. Nemmy looks around to see the faces of the assembled officers. Most people are simply looking around the room, studiously avoiding the head of the table. Understandable. For most of the people in the room, they have to be on the same page as the top brass. It is increasingly clear to her that this won’t simply be a matter of disagreement on personal issues. This meeting would effectively decide not only the fate of the constructs here but all A.I. creations for the foreseeable future. A smart, career-minded officer with an eye on promotion would wait to see how the Admirals feel before falling in line. Thankfully, that wasn’t something that concerned Nemmy.
“I can already predict what the response will be, “she starts, suddenly uncomfortable as all eyes turn to her, “but if these creations are truly sentient, do we not have a moral obligation to let them live, regardless of what we think?” she says.
“No, we don’t. They aren’t human” Novo snaps back.
“Neither are Fren. I’m not sure if shooting them on sight is procedure, Fleet Captain?” Nemmy responds, with more bite than she wanted. Anger pours out of Novo, and Winters places a restraining hand on his forearm.
“The fact is, Captain, these creations are dangerous. Look at the schematics. Watch the tests” Winters says, pointing to the holo-imagery above the table. He takes out his pistol for effect. “These weapons couldn’t even scratch the composite metal. And what if they start replicating themselves?” He asks. Several people nod and murmur agreement. Others gasp, obviously having not considered such a thing.
“You saw the speed they move at, and that they feel anger” Novo says, following the mood of the group. “Say one of them gets angry around your children and lashes out. Or what if they don’t want to follow orders? Or what if their neural network is hacked or controlled in some manner?” He goes on, with rising approval. Nemmy finds herself in the awkward position of not being totally sure how she feels about this situation but feeling obligated to defend these constructs. If Novo told her water was wet, she would instantly drench herself to make sure.
“I’m sure they have security precautions in place for that,” she says, unsure if she even believes that. Novo sneers at the very idea.
“If they are truly sentient, then it won’t matter. They will act in accordance with their own wishes. If you were threatened or your mother was being attacked, you would react, would you not, Captain? They will do the same. Uncontrollable beings that can crumple metal up like paper, walking amongst a terrified citizenry on confined stations? Or taking control of fully armed warships? It doesn’t bear thinking about” Novo announces. More and more of the group are swinging that way, fervently gesticulating and loudly stating their collective agreement. The General, however, holds fast, standing up and slapping the table to quieten the clamour.
“Please, that’s nothing more than paranoia. This kind of Luddite foolishness has held humanity back for centuries. You’re only looking at the worst possible outcomes to scare people. It’s just as likely that these A.I. robots will risk their own existence to save lives, far more than any human would. Not to mention the potential scientific breakthroughs they themselves could create for us all. Professor Verrecchia is easily the intellectual equal of any person in this room, and she feels safe enough to hand one of those robots a pistol. Why can you not give them the same leeway?” He implores. Evidently, he isn’t intimidated by Novo’s ranting. But he doesn’t have someone like Winters backing him up. Winters also stands up, pressing his huge hands down on the table and aggressively sloping forward.
“We live in dangerous times, General. If I’m not mistaken, the entire point of the Human Imperium is to protect the human race from threats within and without. It’s hard enough to deal with these terrorist flare-ups and discovering potentially dangerous alien species. We’re having to commit serious resources to monitor these situations over and above normal operations” he says. Nemmy instantly makes a terrifying realisation.
“Wait, you’re going back out to that star cluster with the Demons?” She exclaims.
“Of course. We need to know what we are dealing with. And please, don’t use that name” Winters says calmly.
“We don’t know their real name,” Nemmy replies.
“Admiral, with the greatest respect, those creatures are extremely dangerous” Ravaan interjects.
“These are not issues that the crew of a patrol ship need to concern themselves with” Winters snarls back. Alondra stands up, stilling the argument with a gesture.
“There are decisions that are made that neither you nor your Captain need be informed about, Commander. If those aliens have a name, we’ll find it. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter. Humanity must always endure, as the saying goes. But that isn’t why we are here. These are indeed dangerous times, and I must agree with Admiral Winters. We can’t allow another potential threat to develop in our midst. The dangers of this new A.I. technology clearly outweigh the potential benefits as discussed here today. Professor Verrecchia may very well be the brightest mind of them all, but our task is to safeguard humanity’s existence. Return to your ships immediately and await further instructions” she says. For a split second, Nemmy thinks the General will lash out, as his face clouds over. But he spins on his heels and departs almost at a sprint before anyone else has even stood up.
Alondra does not wait for feedback, choosing to leave quickly as well. As the people stream out of the meeting room, Nemmy contemplates the situation. There was definitely a strong vibe of paranoia in that room. But on the other hand, she has seen first-hand the increasing problems developing. It’s hard to be idealistic in her job. Nemmy and Ravaan quickly make their way back to their shuttle. Nemmy hopes Ravaan has more insight into the matter.
“What do you think, Rav?” she asks as they wait for Alonso to complete the pre-launch sequence.
He gives her a look of absolute befuddlement.
“Captain, to be completely honest, I am blown away by the very concept. I am not nearly educated or intelligent enough to make decisions on this scale” He reveals quietly.
“Come on Ravaan, don’t say that. I mean, if you can’t figure this out, what hope have I got?” she jokes. He smiles weakly. It is a mind-boggling thought, she agrees. What would a sentient robot think like? Could it feel the way humans feel? If it can, would it re-program itself not to feel? If it did that, would it still be sentient? More and more questions flood her brain. It really is beyond her to figure it out. Just as she was wondering what her mother was planning to do, her Strap beeps.
“Nemantha, you are on your shuttle, yes?” Alondra asks.
“Yes, why?” Nemmy asks, a tad confused.
“Listen very carefully. You, Commander Mukesh, and your pilot are ordered to remain strictly silent about this situation. Forever, do you understand? As far as the public is concerned, this moon was never occupied” Alondra states.
“But-“
“Do you understand this order?” Alondra barks.
“Yes, Admiral”
“Good” Alondra says, before cutting the comm link. Ravaan and Nemmy share a confused shrug.
“Captain, the Hammer of Justice is firing on the station!” Alonso shouts.
“What!?” Nemmy screams, frantically rushing to activate a viewer. The monstrous command ship unleashes a firestorm of thick plasma blasts and huge torpedoes towards the moonbase, quickly followed by various other ships unloading their weaponry. The station is instantly wracked with explosions.
“No! No!” Nemmy shouts, repeatedly slamming her fist against the viewing screen. Ravaan puts his hand on her shoulder, trying to console her.
“It’s not right! How could she do this, Ravaan? How?” she cries.
“I know, Captain. I know” he says. They can only sit and watch as the barrage utterly destroys the station, reducing it to nothing more than pieces of warped metal floating into space. Within minutes, the harsh dry landscape is scarred by angry black rents and piles of rubble. Nemmy can’t bear to look anymore, turning away in disgust. How can her mother be so vicious? There must be another way. There must be. This is murder. Her mother has just murdered everyone on that station. And no-one will ever know.