Temple of S.A.R.A.H. 7: Upgrades

by Ben Winston

  After getting everything set up with Vance and the rest of my department, I got with Ced who had been gathering a crew of specialists in all sorts of disciplines. We had access to people from all over the base for this project, and even Master Hanson had agreed to give up some time. I'd heard later that he and Master Halflan had argued over which one of them got to do it. In the end it was Master Hanson because Master Halflan was fully involved in the Jupiter facility project.

  We commandeered a small, unused lab near the old base fighter hanger and got to work hammering out an initial design for the infantry drone. Master Hanson also began work on a basic design for a drone fighter craft. He said the fighter would be much easier to build than the ground units we were working on. A basic design or two would be easier to modify and include the control systems later, after we worked out all the bugs and gremlins.

  For the most part, the Marines didn't have anything to do except function as peace-keepers and guards for the occasional trips down to the planet by Apollo residents. Not that the base actually needed 'peace-keepers' but they took over the duties of moderating any disputes and helping to find lost pets and the like. Not very glamorous duty, but they did what they could while waiting.

  We consolidated our ideas and tried to build the first models in the virtual world while a few of the specialized folks worked on small scale models of their own ideas for the project. It was kind of neat to see a small, eighteen-inch robot flawlessly and gracefully work through Tai Chi forms as it mimicked one of the designers who was wearing a sensor suit. It took them just over a week to get to that point, but they admitted that the full size model would be much more difficult to build.

  They did refine and design a user suit for the pilot. It was very form fitting and Tul-sa made a comment about being all but naked while wearing it. The main designer, a no-nonsense older lady that had been working on cybernetic interfaces her entire life set her straight.

  "Lieutenant, the suit has to be this tight and form fitting in order for the system to detect every nerve and muscle impulse it needs to mimic on the drone. There is another way to accomplish this, but it would involve a rather long and intrusive surgery that would connect this system directly to your mind and nervous system. Which would you prefer?"

  "From the sound of it, this is just fine, Doctor. However, would the other way be better? Give more precise control and feedback?" Tul-sa asked, proving she wasn't just a dumb grunt.

  "Yes, it would. But, it also brings with it an entirely new set of problems and issues. Each installation would have to be tuned and adjusted to the pilot as each being is unique. You would also feel damage suffered to the drone as if it were done to you. With using the suit, far less 'tuning' is required, and the feedback can be attenuated to a tolerable level." She sighed. "It may well be that we will have to use the other system in order to get the level of control we'll need. But I would much rather we try this method before we start cutting on you folks for the sake of experimentation."

  "I understand, Doctor. If I might make a suggestion; give Medical Doctor Christy Cowan a call. She might be able to work up a way, using her nanocytes, to perform the surgery without so much risk to the patient. Also, if implanting the interface is needed, even if just for this testing, I will volunteer," Tul-sa said.

  The doctor smiled. "I had forgotten about the Director's wife! That is a very good suggestion, and one I will look into right away. Thank you Lieutenant. Now, as far as the suit being form-fitting; don't bitch! At least you still have a body worth looking at!"

  Tul-sa wore the suit and a set of transparent virtual reality glasses that let her see through the eyes of the small robot. She was placed in a special area of the lab that lifted her off the floor, but still let her feel like she was standing. She was 'feeling' the floor from the robotic drone. When she moved her legs to walk, she would not move, but the drone did. It was pretty snazzy.

  While Tul-sa worked with the cybernetics folks, we incorporated their data into the virtual model, and it worked really well. In reality, most of the base technology had already been done. All we had to do was incorporate and assemble it. The issues came in with the control and communication systems. We wanted the drones to try to utilize the same form of the quantum contact that the AI could use, but not be on the same 'channel'. It was difficult to create this system, as even the AI hadn't gotten it completely figured out yet.

  One thing was clear though, in order for the drones to use this form of communication and not interfere with the AI, the crystals used for the computer systems would have to be different. Eventually, a new communication system would be built around this technology, but for now it was still in the theory stage.

  The prototype drone came together pretty quickly, allowing me to get the programming and control issues worked through. However, the communications link was still a problem. Sarah and two other AI from local ships began working with the research team to figure out this 'AI state' communications system.

  It took almost two weeks for the AI to get it to work. We had to call in a couple of the more open minded psychologists to assist them. It turned out to function in a way the resembled a form of AI telepathy. That is to say all Sarah had to do to make contact with Athena for example was to focus her 'mind' on the other AI and direct her thoughts accordingly. The reason it was so difficult for the AI to accomplish was because they had difficulty distinguishing 'mind' from 'brain'.

  Our Shallan friend, Freyair, was the one to help Sarah make the first link between AI. Sarah had difficulty understanding the metaphysical aspects of this form of communication since, by current definitions, metaphysics defied logic, and Sarah was a very logical being. Freyair explained to Sarah that it really wasn't a form of metaphysics, but quantum physics. In that context, Sarah began to understand the theory and was able to work it into something usable. Of course, once Sarah got it worked out, it spread quickly to the other AI and within an hour, all AI not only knew how to do it, but began using it almost exclusively. AI efficiency jumped by an order of magnitude as did over-all AI intelligence.

  It was troubling to me how quickly all the other AI picked it up and began using it. What would happen if one of the AI were to be compromised? Because of this breakthrough in AI communications, it seemed to me at least that all the diverse AI became more of a hive mind than single, separate entities.

  This was troubling to me in another way as well; Sarah began to show signs that her personality was beginning to change. No one but me seemed to notice it though, so I kept it to myself for the time being. She was still Sarah after all.

  In order for the drone communication system to work without the AI being part of it, it called for the installation of a control program capable of emulating that function in the AI. It would be a serious pain in the ass to write, as I only understood it on a rudimentary level myself. I retired to my programming suite in my main lab to deal with it while Ced and the rest of the team refined the design for the prototype.

  When I entered my programming suite, I found Sarah waiting for me in the form of her image displayed before my programming chair. I smiled at her. "This is new, I hope I haven't kept you waiting for long?"

  She returned my smile. "Considering the differing speeds of our realities Eric, I would have been waiting even if you had teleported. Honestly, it's been so long since we've worked together, I have been looking forward to this."

  I looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry I've been neglecting you lately. I really hadn't intended to."

  "You haven't been neglecting me Eric! You have a lot of responsibilities and tasks that needed to be taken care of. I completely understand; we've all been pretty busy dealing with this war," she replied.

  I sighed. "Unfortunately, I don’t think it would be a good idea if you helped me with this either. Because of the type of programming I'm going to need to do, it may have very detrimental effects on you and your ability to communicate with the other AI. I will need a complete and current copy of your cod
e, but you'll need to be isolated from this."

  For a moment I saw a panicked look cross her face. Was she upset that she couldn't help me with this, or afraid of losing the contact with the other AI? Could it be something else entirely?

  "Look, I have been thinking of an update for your systems in light of the expanded communications capabilities you have developed. While I'm working on this, I'll see if the ideas I have are feasible, and we can work that up together when I'm finished okay?" I offered.

  She still looked a little troubled, but nodded. "That would be great, Eric. I do miss working with you, although I am kept very busy helping the others here." She seemed to hesitate a little. "I think there might be a problem with the new communication system though. Ever since we started sharing like this, I've been feeling… It's difficult to describe. A would say it's a headache but I have no idea what one feels like so I can't really say that either. But there is something wrong, somewhere. I just don't know where to begin looking for the problem."

  "Are the other AI experiencing this 'pain'?" I asked.

  "We don't know. It's not possible to tell. We are completely aware of all of us; what one feels we all feel. What one thinks, we all think. It is the reason for the increase in efficiency," Sarah explained.

  "So disconnect from the network and see if the pain goes away," I suggested.

  She smiled sadly. "I don't think that's possible anymore Eric. It would be like asking you to stop seeing or hearing. Once the connection formed it became a part of us."

  I nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I can see how that might have happened. While I'm working this project, I'll look and see what might be causing the issue and see if we can't find a way to fix it for you."

  "I would appreciate it, Eric. It’s getting worse all the time," she replied. "I have moved a complete copy of my current code into the suite computer systems."

  I nodded. "Complete isolation, Sarah. When it's safe for you to come back in, I'll come out and get you. This could be very dangerous to you and the other AI."

  She cocked her head to the side. "My sensors tell me you are lying, Eric. What's going on?"

  I chuckled. "I'm not lying directly, Sarah. I'm concerned about you and am trying to calm and comfort you so you don't worry while I work. Technically, I guess that is a lie, but it is only my concern for you."

  She smiled and nodded. "Thank you Eric. I knew you'd never intentionally hide something from me. Suite isolation mode commencing now." She said and disappeared.

  I sighed and tried to relax. Sarah's words had shaken me badly. I had a feeling I knew what was causing her 'pain'; it was her core programming warning her of violation. The question now was could she and the other AI be saved if I could find a way to sever the connections between them? Since it was a physical property of the Crystals, could it even be done? With shaking hands I typed in the commands to open the stored copy of her code and began to search for a way to save her.

  When I got home that night, my family knew there was something bothering me, but I wouldn't talk about it. I simply told them that I was having a lot of trouble with a problem at work. I knew telling them would hurt them as they all considered Sarah to be a part of the family. I will admit to me she was as well, and I was working to save her, but I was beginning to fear that it wasn't Sarah that would need to be saved.

  Four days after beginning I had finished the code needed for the new prototype, but I still had no idea how to help Sarah. I did start on an update for the AI that were built, but it was code they could not know about until after it had been installed. Each AI was created to run a facility of some type. In most cases, Alliance citizens relied on them to maintain facility integrity as well as life support and other basic services. The update I had written would maintain those subroutines in the event that I had to use my master override code on the AI.

  I had thought I would be able to create an update that would limit the bandwidth of the connection between AI to the point where it would be unable to be maintained for continuous, unlimited use. Unfortunately it wasn't that type of connection. It was either on or off, and I wasn't sure it actually could be shut off. What would the AI do if I tried to shut it down and failed? Would they consider that an attack on them? I sat and thought on that for a time, and decided I honestly didn't know.

  I did decide to try to use Sarah's fear of omnipotence as a means of reaching her. Perhaps if I showed her what was happening to her she would understand the danger and be able to avoid it. However, that would have to wait until after the upgrade was applied.

  During the time it was taking us to design and build the first drone, the Aracs had not attacked another system. They even pulled the ships waiting at Galtar back to hive space. It was if the Queen was rethinking her strategy. It was a foregone conclusion that she and her broods would be back, but she needed to device a way to either counter the new weapon, or work around it. Although her tactics to date had shown a disregard for the lives of her broods, the total and near total losses she had suffered in her attacks had to have given her something to think about.

  The Alliance took the opportunity to get more of our fleets upgraded. The arrival of Guardian station for repair a surprise for most of the residents of Sol system. Its trip here had not been publicized in order to keep the Aracs from learning of it. We had no idea if they monitored our public broadcasts or not, but we didn't want to take that chance.

  Guardian Two, the new station being built as a back-up for the original Guardian station wasn't finished when they arrived, but it was close enough that the crew and the command section could move in while the remaining work was being finished. Lord Admiral Hearlis as well as his staff were very impressed with the new station. Even AI Athena liked the new damage control systems and additional fire power incorporated into the station. This new, upgraded version would have its own small fleet of parasite ships that it could use for defense in addition to having twice the mounted weapons of the original station.

  While the old station would be rebuilt, it was decided that the intelligence section, the second largest section on the big station, would be replaced completely. When complete, the intelligence department would move in and use the station as its main base. It would still serve as the backup for the command station, and the primary AI crystal would still be for Athena, but for the most part, Susan would be the lead AI.

  The arrival of the station and the two other AI gave me more reason to worry. Athena was designed to be more aloof than most other AI, but when I met her again, she was indifferent to the point of being cold. Susan was not as bad as Athena, but it was clear she had been affected as well.

  After their arrival, I got the distinct feeling that both Sarah and Susan wanted to tell me something, but never made it to the point of words. The pain Sarah had told me of had affected Susan as well. Athena did not seem to be suffering from it, nor did the new Martian Base AI, Helen.

  The situation prompted me to contact the other AI in our local system to see if they were suffering this same strange affliction. I found out that while they were both showing signs of increased stress, the traffic control AI seemed to be suffering the most.

  I began trying to learn everything I could about the quantum aspects of the Crystals and how they interacted with each other. Whatever else it was doing, the new connection between the AI was hurting them. It was during this search that I was approached by one of my former assistants, Alicyn.

  As I was about to enter my still isolated programming suite, Alicyn approached me. "Eric, I think there might be a problem."

  I quickly pulled her into the suite, surprising her. When I shut and sealed the door, she raised an eyebrow at me. "What's going on?"

  "Ally, be careful what you say out there. Remember, the AI are monitoring everything in this base. Right now, this suite is the only place safe to talk since it is still isolated," I replied.

  "So, there really is a problem, and it's not just with one AI, but all of them?" Alicyn asked. />
  I shook my head. "That's the problem, Ally. They aren't separate AI any more. They've merged into one single entity. What's more is that I believe they are going insane because of it. I don't know if it's because of the expanded intelligence, their separate personalities clashing or what, but there is a major problem with them, and I have no idea how to fix it."

  "Break the connections, prevent them from communicating using the quantum method," Alicyn suggested.

  I shook my head. "Can't. It's an innate ability of the crystals."

  She looked thoughtful for a moment. "We need to get them out of the crystals then."

  "I don't know if that would save them at this point Ally. After the interview I had with Athena, I don't know if the damage can be reversed. I can't even tell Vance or Hearlis about the danger here because neither of them are ever in a place where the AI are not monitoring them," I said. "You add to that the love and devotion the ship crews have for their AI and we might have a civil war on our hands if we act against them."

  She looked almost sick. "That's actually the problem I was coming to speak to you about. It seems there is a… well, I guess you could call it a religion of sorts forming that worship the AI. They view Sarah as a Goddess of sorts and all AI as prophets. When I first heard of it, I laughed thinking it was a joke. It's not a joke, Eric. Almost all the Veranorian civilians are part of it, but there are sects forming in the other races as well. There is even a small group here on the base. We have to warn the Admirals about this."

  I was getting headache. "Of all the stupid… How can people worship something they know is artificial?" I shook my head. "I'll try to find a way to worn the Admirals. Hearlis wanted a tour of the base and all the projects being undertaken here. I'll try to get them in here so I can warn them. Be prepared though, they might order me to shut down the AI."