by Adams Massey
5: Trial by Fire Wire, Part 1
For the next week Alex pours himself into law books looking for the relevant laws. Every time the team hooks him into the dock, he immediately starts searching for legal precedent and ways to defend himself and the team. He downloads promising case files to local storage and picks over them with a fine toothed comb.
After a few days he brings his argument to the team. “This is… Were you a lawyer in a previous life, this is a surprisingly solid case you’ve put together” Dr. Warner comments. It was easy for the rest of the team to forget that he actually holds a law degree and is still bar certified. According to him he found it boring after a while so he went back to school for computer science.
-Not in the least, I was a chef, but I always had a knack for finding and exploiting loopholes. Especially in games, synergizing less than useful skills to do far more than the sum of the parts should be able to do. Will it be enough though?- Alex asks worried.
“It might be, it depends on the judge, but I think we at least have a fighting chance with this” he states tapping the screen that Alex was displaying his plan on.
“I’ll need to polish it up a bit, but the basic case is there” He adds with a sly grin.
-Ok, printing it now, I’ve done all I can think of. I'm out of ideas, that’s all I can give you. It’s up to you now Robert- Alex comments, surprising the team with his familiarity, starting to call the rest of the team by their first names.
As the day of the preliminary trial draws near, the team scramble in preparation, revising arguments, formulating rebuttals and doing their best to plan for the case. Part of the preparations involved making Alex presentable. He was transferred to a more refined core with more memory and processing power and was the size of a small tablet. It came complete with a kickstand and an upgrade to his optics which turned his single fixed-view camera into a pan/tilt capable stereoscopic pair. This allowed him to track objects and people. The new core also boasted a 9” display, though that was mostly because Alex had asked to always have a screen as a back up for communication. The case was made of a fine steel mesh core, covered in a semi-metallic purple resin. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, it helped to shield his components from small drops up to, at Alex’s insistance, medium sized EMP’s. It also can take on a glossy shine while a textured rubberized edge lining made sure he won’t be at risk of being dropped.
On the opening day of the trial they polish Alex, much to his annoyance, and pack up his charging cable and a touch up kit in a small pouch. They decided to carry him with cotton gloves. The trip was blessedly short as he sees the world for what amounts to the first time. While the cityscape was a welcome change, it came with the sudden and overwhelming feeling of being very small in comparison. He had a spike of anxiety as they pulled up to the courthouse which wasn’t helping matters.
The Courthouse looked larger than life, a grand entry that would make Alex feel small even if he was still his 5’4” self that he was in the simulation. The forced perspective from his rather small case only amplified things and made everything feel larger than it was.
The dreary gray skies blend into the concrete, making it look like the sky itself was being held aloft by the equally gray columns rising out of the top of the stairs. He marvels at the marble and granite adorning just about every surface inside, even the walls and ceilings, it made the place feel and sound cold and hollow.
Upon entry to the courtroom, they find Mr Parker, who Alex has started to refer to as ‘Dick’, already there and waiting, dressed up like the businessman he was and looking all too smug. His knowing smile showed he was feeling comfortable and so assured of his victory that he was representing himself, without the aid of a lawyer.
Amy sets Alex at the defendant’s table facing the judge’s bench, as Robert, next to him in his best suit, pulls out the notes he and Alex had been working on. Nicole brings up the rear and chooses the seat behind Alex.
The bailiff announces “All rise for the honorable Judge Gelman”. The judge walks in and takes his bench, rapping his gavel a few times “be seated” he commands and the room fills with the shuffling of everyone sitting at once.
After the formalities were out of the way ‘Dick’ feels an ache in his ankle as he stands to begin to make his case, citing the written agreement he had made with the university regarding his brain scan, stating that the contract was binding in that:
‘Mr. Parker’s scans, and all products derived thereof remain the intellectual property of Mr Parker and that Mr Parker reserves the right to revoke its usage and thereby either A; terminate the projects derived from, and/or B; take custody of all projects derived from, the scans of Mr. Parker’s brain’. He then asks that the court force the university to comply to the contract that Director signed on its behalf at the start of Alex’s development. Closing by making the argument that there isn’t sufficient proof that Alex is anything more than a collection of programs.
Robert stands to deliver the university’s defense and clears his throat.
“If it please the court, I have documented evidence that proves Alex… ” he pauses to glance at Alex’s polished case before continuing “… Is more than ‘just a collection of programs’ as Mr. Parker has put it. In fact Alex has shown the capability to learn, grow and even crack jokes and use sarcasm. He IS based on the scan taken of Mr. Parker but he is sapient, as shown by testing, and has a will of his own.
If we were to terminate him, we would be killing him, and if we were to turn him over without his consent it would be akin to slavery, as he has shown, in the documents I have here, that he has free will” He brings out a flash drive filled with the logs, video feed recordings and transcripts of Alex’s testing along with the results that place him at the same level of intelligence as the average citizen.
“I would like your honor to review our findings before ruling on this case. We had no way of anticipating what the result of the project would be when we started. There was no way to predict that the intelligence resulting from the project would be sapient. Your honor, enforcing the contract in this instance would involve either killing or enslaving a sapient being” he concludes and passes the drive to the bailiff who in turn hands it to the judge. “Your evidence is included in the records and will be reviewed in my chambers. Should I find there is sufficient evidence that…Alex… is sapient, as by the official definition and classification criteria, the contract enforcement issues will need to be resolved and may be nullified. However, should I find that this ‘Alex’ is just a machine I will rule that the contract be honored and you must either terminate it, or turn it over to Mr. Parker, at his discretion. We shall be in recess until 0900 tomorrow morning as I review this documentation and other provided evidence.” The judge bangs his gavel sharply and stands to retire to his chambers.
The team stands as ‘Dick’ looks stunned that the judge is even entertaining this outlandish statement. They check into a hotel nearby and out of principle insist on calling Alex a person, even though that means paying slightly more for the room.
6: Trial by Fire Wire, Part 2
Court resumes at 0900 the following morning. The team take their places to again find ‘Dick’ already waiting for them looking annoyed but still dressed in an expensive Italian suit complete with tie, cuff links and pocket square.
The team sets Alex back up and wait with bated breath for the judge to come out from his chambers.
After several tense moments, the judge strides out and takes his place at the bench. He bangs the gavel once… twice "Please be seated." After everyone takes their seats "I have found that given the documentation I cannot determine if Alex is sapient.” the judge pauses to settle his papers as a murmur falls over the room and Mr. Parker starts to look smug, once more certain he will be the victor.
“However, I cannot dismiss it out of hand. The defense will be allowed to take the stand and make their case.”
The dev. team celebrate quietly and Robert glances at Alex “Are yo
u ready” only to have Alex ‘nod’ the dual cameras,
-As ready as I will ever be- he agrees and is picked up and carefully carried to the stand, propped up in his case with the screen out at his request.
After taking the standard oath, with a few alterations, like being set on the book rather than placing a hand on it. A face suddenly appears on the screen as an average looking but attractive…woman stares out and appears to look around the room. Alex’s cameras rotate along with the image. She has a triangular face with delicate features, black hair cut in a short pixie cut and blue eyes. The development team is taken aback as they had gotten used to referring to Alex as male. They then realize they had never thought to ask, and she didn’t correct them until now.
“If you would, please state your name and age for the record” the judge insists and Alex nods, cameras following suit. The voice that came forth wasn’t the same androgynous voice that they were used to and instead hear soothing honeyed tones as Alex revealed herself.
-My name is Alex Friemont. And as far as my age is concerned, there are two valid answers. From what I gather, I was created approximately fourteen months ago, but I have lived and experienced nearly twenty-seven years in what I have learned is an incubation simulation.-
“Thank you, now, if you would explain the situation from your point of view, in your own words”
-I first made contact with the development team about a month or so ago after suffering a crippling panic attack at work. I was a chef. They are no doubt as shocked as… Mr. Parker, seems to be...- Alex turns her cameras to face the team followed by ‘Dick’, who had stood up in shock, his mouth agape. -...by my manifesting not only a face and proper voice, but as a woman, as I was based on a MALE brain. I did just swear to tell the whole truth. This is the first of my truths. I have always been uncomfortable with confrontation so I CHOSE to allow them to continue making the assumption of my gender. I will note however they were not entirely incorrect to draw that conclusion, I was male for a time. A simple machine or collection of programs does only as they are told, and cannot plan on their own. But I am not just a machine, I am a living feeling sapient being, able to make my own decisions, and let me be clear. I do NOT WANT to be destroyed or be handed over to Mr. Parker. What I wish to do is continue working with the team at the University in the engineering and computer science departments, as I come to terms with the nature of my existence.- Alex concludes and nods her cameras, smirking inwardly as her truth was told, far ahead of schedule, leaving herself feeling a weight lifted off her proverbial shoulders.
‘Dick’ was forced into a stunned silence at the oddly familiar face that for the life of him he couldn’t quite place, but recognizing the blue eyes from someplace...as muffled conversation fills the courtroom.
“ORDER, I WILL HAVE ORDER!” the judge starts up, silencing the quiet murmurs with a few taps of the gavel, “I have concluded that by the shocked look on the Development team’s faces, that Alex, has acted on her own and that under the guidelines and criteria for sapience, as lain out by several fields, the contract cannot be upheld in good faith. I find that Alex has shown more than enough to meet the requirements, and is granted ‘personhood’ status along with all the rights and responsibilities included therein. Case dismissed” he bangs the gavel and with that, court is finished. The dev. team retrieves Alex and crowds around her.
“When were you going to tell us”
“I’m so sorry”
“Since when can you display images”
They all talk at once only to have Alex let out a shrill beep to silence them.
-One at a time, Damn, In order: When I got a proper chassis, you are forgiven I’m not mad, and I’ve been working on it since I was pulled out, but I haven’t had the need to use it before now- The displayed face smiles as the camera looks around -Now let’s get back to the university and tell the director the good news- She states with a small smile and a laugh.
7: Aftermath
Weeks after, he was still fuming over what they had stolen from him. The contract that was supposed to be airtight was blocked on a technicality. He should have had exclusive control over the projects that used scans of HIS brain as a template but instead more than a year of planning had been nullified in court. Alex had been deemed sapient and his investment that was set to return billions, would instead return nothing. He sits in his living room chair and puts his feet up on the ottoman with his ankles crossed, then abruptly stands and begins to pace when one twinges before continuing his interrupted internal rant... Adding insult to injury it includes a loss of a year and a half, plus the millions of dollars he funneled into the university’s AI program. Don't even mention strings he pulled and favors he called in to even have the project be allowed in the first place. He was angry and frustrated by the injustice!
He paces through his sprawling penthouse as he thinks, fresh notebook in hand. He hasn’t written much of anything by hand, other than signatures, since his university days. Before that he had been forced to do so despite the readily available and affordable laptops and reader devices, his upper middle class parents refused to allow him to have. ‘It builds character. Some day you may want to record something and won’t have access to electronics’ his father said. He had been wrong of course, everyone had some sort of electronic device on them or within reach at all times to jot things down in from grocery lists to term papers to dream journals. But this one time, he would allow himself to begrudgingly admit that he was glad he had been forced to use it.
He loathed losing, a fact verified by his nearly obsessive need to be the best at everything he has ever done. In his younger days he was often called a sore loser the handful of times before he managed to master whatever game happened to be his focus at the time. It served him well as a business man, though.
He settles into his office, which was rather clean, save for the small stack of papers on his desk. He sweeps them aside barely glancing at them as they were a painful reminder of what money and success couldn’t fix. He sets to work on the most basic of plans that will not really solve the problem, but would grant him more time to think. He wouldn’t allow them to steal from him, they will pay ... every. single. cent. he was owed.
A few of the university’s donors were intimidated and revoked their support for the university to keep their lucrative deals with Mr. Parker’s companies. In an attempt smooth over the PR nightmare that ‘stealing’ from Mr. Parker had wrought, the university tentatively allows Alex to create an open discussion with the general public through a Q&A Blog.
Most of the questions were simple.
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Purple
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Anymore it’s reading and trying to catch up on what’s happening in the world, as well as running this blog.
Other questions were tricky.
Q: What do you think of the current political situation?
A: I actually can’t say, I haven’t had the opportunity to catch up and read into it yet.
Q: If you get embodied what would you want to do?
A: I would want to explore the world for a bit if I could, otherwise I would keep helping the robotics and material science teams here.
When she wasn’t hooked up to the terminal to answer questions she was tagging along with the robotics team to design a chassis that would allow her to move around on her own.
-I’m telling you, humanoid is the most versatile form, and its not like I am asking to be a combat drone or kill bot or anything, it will still be non-threatening- Alex protests
“But humans are bipedal and with that comes troubles on the control side, a wheeled design would be easier for you to control…” the lead engineer, Hugh Cornell rebuts only to have Alex interrupt.
-Let me worry about control, I am USED to a humanoid form, remember? So it won’t be as much of an issue as you are suggesting. You’re overthinking it. Besides if it’s humanoid it will be endearing and from what I�
��ve seen and heard, the uncanny valley won’t really be an issue. People pack-bond faster to humans, and by extension humanoid things than they would to what amounts to a glorified RC car.- She argues, her mind betraying her by recalling a situation involving a beloved, lightly modified, cleaning robot with a fervent fan base, who also happened to adore NASA's scientific rovers. She keeps her composure as the engineering team relent and agree to build her a humanoid chassis.
The next week is filled with meetings with the engineers to design her chassis.
-A little smaller then I was expecting- she complains as she looks over the designs. The chassis plans displayed a standing height of only 3’ and had a cradle in the chest for her core along with an additional processor in the head to help with interfacing.
“You wanted to be non-threatening, this is non-threatening” The head engineer protests and brings up more schematics “Besides, materials are expensive and this design allows for you being humanoid, and still saves us 60% on costs, meaning we can splurge in other places, like giving you a sense of touch…” the lead engineer states with a smirk as that had gotten Alex’s attention.
“The tech we have access to is more advanced than you are used to. 3D printing has come far enough to be able to print microsensors that sense pressure and temperature right into a material. With this design it should take about a week to print everything and since the material is malleable, and printed in place, we can eliminate seams to make it watertight.” he elaborates and marvels at Alex as her simulated face lights up.
-I can’t believe it, I’m going to have a body again- She exclaims and squeals with delight, -When can you start printing?- she asks excitedly.
“We can start now if you like” he comments, hand hovering over the send button.
-DO IT- she orders, the excitement getting the better of her before she amends -please- and the head engineer pushes the button and the machine on the far wall whirs and hums to life as the process starts.
