Every Last Mother's Child

by William J. Carty, Jr

  Chapter 8: Alice’s Assignment

  “Marshal,” Liz walked into the office, “There is a woman to see you. She’s not on your schedule and won’t be entered. Please make the room secure.”

  “Secure?” Wilson asked puzzled he had just spent two hours with Kellogg and the principle staff and the Queen in the clean room. It had put him behind. Seriously behind to the point he may not be able to get home for dinner. The woman nodded. Wilson went over to a panel entered a combination and turned off the sound and video pickups for the room. He shut the AI out of the system. In the walls a random noise generator came to life. It was a system that the AI could turn off but there was a small voltage sensor attached to the circuit that would sound an alarm should the power be turned off. It was checked daily by the human security team. It could be compromised; but it would be hard to do it electronically.

  He had just gotten back to his desk when Alice Jones walked in. Wilson was dumb struck. He had seen Jonesy’s holographic image every time he had to coordinate some logistics problem. The woman who walked into his office was the exact image of Jonesy.

  “Jonesy?” Wilson stuttered.

  “Sort of,” Alice Jones replied, “Jonesy built me this morning. I am her; but not her.” She quickly went into how she had been built.

  When she finished she said, “Although the crown has no laws against my creation marshal; the crown doesn’t encourage it. Most mobile AIs are built into things like FireBots, Some public transportation captains. Very few of us have ever been built into human looking chassis. The people of Trena like have their cybernetic devices look like machines, not humans. Most likely because of how immortal we machines could become.”

  “I see,” Wilson said still awed. Like Trena, the Earth Empire discouraged human looking robots, and with biopeople everywhere there were fewer as it was cheaper sometimes to buy a bio rather than get a robot. Even with expert systems, and AI sentient computers, who were generally better at their tasks than humans, humans still wanted human beings to help them get things done when it came to animated power.

  “You said we are secure.” The humbot asked.

  “Yes,” Wilson said, “Why?”

  “You and Kellogg along with several others had a meeting today to discuss some AI problems?” The Marshal nodded. The humbot handed the Marshal an envelope and said, “Please read this. I will wait here for you to do so then I want to take that note to Kellogg. Mom,” The Marshal cocked an eyebrow at her, “Jonesy, wants that close held. That’s why it’s in paper to be read in secure environments and to be destroyed by me after I show it to a couple more souls.”

  “I see,” The Marshal replied. He read the verbatim transcript of the AIs conversation in the Terran embassy plus a few other items that had been added by Albert and Jonesy as Alice had been built. At the very bottom of the page they had added, “Do you understand the reason for this method of communication and what we have discovered?”

  “Alice,” Wilson answered the question, “I see why you did this. Um Jonesy...”

  “I am sorry marshal my transmitters have been inhibited when you went secure. I’ll brief Mom later when I can do so in private.”

  “Okay then,” Wilson handed the package back to the humbot. “I better make this official.” he went to his office door opened it and motioned for Liz to come in.”

  “Liz you will witness something in a few seconds. Do not write it in your journal or make any notes what so ever.” Wilson commanded when the door was closed and locked again.

  “Alice Jones, humbot, and citizen of the Kingdom of Trena, I commission you as a member of the Trena Royal Mounted Patrol as an investigator. As of this day and time you are commissioned to investigate the matter of a possible compromise to the AI community.”

  “I accept the commission.” The humbot responded.

  “Liz I think the place she needs to work out of is either Mercer’s office or out of Mylea’s office.” Wilson commented.

  “Actually sir,” his administrative assistant said, “I think either in Lord Jamieson’s office or possibly attached to the Thonian MP unit.”

  “Alice,” Mike thought wondering if the AI could pull it off. “I am real hesitant to put you in the MP unit. You might be able to bluff your way through. But I think not. Hell Liz, assign her to us. She’ll be your assistant.”

  “Marshal,” the aid said, “I could use an assistant and confidential courier; but is this wise? We have too many people on staff now.”

  “Alice,” Wilson turned to the humbot, “What’s your thought.”

  “Sir, if it is all the same to you, I want to impersonate a computer repair man and look at the systems we know have been messed with. Working on your staff will blow my cover.” Alice replied.

  “Okay Alice,” Mike said, “That makes sense. You are on the payroll. How will you report to me or my staff?”

  “Let me and mom worry about that I am sure some of your computers will get sick now and then.” Alice answered, “And you will need me to come in and fix them.”

  “Go see General Langtree,” Wilson ordered, “He’ll have a contract for your signature to repair the computers in the evacuation command.”

  “Will that be all your lord ship?” Alice asked.

  “Yes thank you.” Wilson nodded and Alice left.