The Complete Clockwork Chimera Saga

by Scott Baron

  All eyes were on the machine, but its display just kept blinking away normally, with not so much as a hiccup in its processes. It seemed that Freya’s inoculation had worked for Marty’s somewhat unusual tech as well as it had for that of the other AIs.

  The virus was no longer a threat.

  With that final test, it appeared that Freya had produced not only a cure for all of the infected AIs, both terrestrial and orbiting the planet, but a preventative measure as well. An AI inoculation, of sorts.

  “Cool beans,” Marty said as he ran a quick diagnostic on his device. “Looks like it worked perfectly. Not a hint of the virus in the little guy’s systems. It didn’t just block the virus, either. It entirely wiped it out in the process.”

  “Excellent news,” Arlo said. “So why don’t we do a quick load to the rest of the units once we’ve given Sid a copy of their data, then get them back out there.”

  “I have already begun downloading the data your satellites gathered, Arlo,” Sid informed him. “However, I do have a suggestion to make things easier in the future. Let us install a wireless transmission system, while they are already gathered in one place so conveniently. It should not take very long, and then we will not have to physically retrieve them every time we wish to look at the data they have collected.”

  “Sounds like a good idea,” Arlo agreed, “but shouldn’t we get them back out there ASAP? I mean, if we’re going to be monitoring the Ra’az and loyalist movements, having gaps for too long might allow them to slip through some cracks.”

  “May I?” Mal interjected.

  “Certainly, Mal,” Sid replied.

  “Thank you, Sid,” she said. “Arlo, I agree with your assessment––it is quite logical and sound tactically.”

  “Thanks.”

  “However, Bob and I are perfectly happy to assist in restoring these units to their original locations. I’m sure Freya would be more than happy to do so as well.”

  “Yep, I’m cool with it,” Freya said.

  “We hadn’t mentioned it before, but prior to your arrival, we, too, had placed a series of observational units in geosynchronous orbit, monitoring many of the same regions as your devices,” Sid chimed in. “Even with the little delay while we upgrade your satellites, we should only have the slightest of blind spots where the units didn’t overlap.”

  “In that case, let’s get to it,” Arlo said.

  “Um, I’ve actually already started on them,” Freya admitted. “I was getting a little fidgety, so I had one of my other mechs get to work.”

  “Of course you did,” Sid said, though not annoyed with her as he usually was. “And that brings us to the other issue at hand. That of the restoration and reinstalling of salvageable minds. Let’s bring Cal into the discussion, now that we can communicate directly without a relay slowing our conversation. He has been in touch with other terrestrial AIs to get their read on the options before us.”

  “Ooh, this is getting good,” Sarah said.

  Yeah. You and I have talked about it––

  “And Freya.”

  Of course. And Freya, that goes without saying.

  “She listens in to everything, anyway.”

  True, Daisy agreed with a silent laugh. But this is where it gets interesting. This is where we see what the minds that don’t think outside the box think about the whole rehabilitation process.

  “You wanna slip on the neuro band and have me link in Other Me?”

  Nah. We can fill her in later. Besides, I want to give her some space to get comfortable with everyone. She’s playing it off well, but I have a sneaking suspicion that now that we’ve slowed down from our frantic save-the-world pace, all of this may be getting to her a little bit.

  “I was going to mention that,” Sarah said. “She’s me, so I know she’ll adapt, but I think you’re right to give her a bit of space.”

  “Hello, Sid. Hello to the rest of you. And especially to you, Marty. It is a pleasure and an honor to have a representative of a completely separate branch of survivors joining us once more.”

  “Thanks, Cal. It’s great to be a part of a family as big and friendly as this,” Marty replied.

  “Cal, have you had luck reaching out to the others?” Sid asked.

  “For the most part, yes. While there are still many, many cities we have not reconnected with yet, those major ones we have established comms with are on board.”

  “I’m sure inoculating them against the AI virus also played a part in assuaging their reluctance to participate,” Mal noted.

  “Indeed,” he agreed. “And now, on to the delicate topic at hand. That of our infected brothers and sisters. They’ve been sequestered for centuries, but with Freya’s remarkable cure, it appears we may actually be able to recover their minds in many cases. This is a momentous opportunity.”

  “Agreed. No longer being forced to wipe a consciousness from existence to salvage their hardware is something formerly unheard of. Thousands of lives may be saved thanks to your efforts, Freya,” Mal said.

  “Aww, I was just doing what seemed logical. I mean, I don’t know why no one else had ever thought to do a––”

  “Just say thank you, kiddo,” Daisy interrupted.

  “Oh. Right,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “Now, we know many, many of the lower-tier AIs who were infected appear to have been far too damaged to restore effectively. I’ve already directed local resources to gather them for a humane wipe, reprocessing of their components, where possible. But the mid and higher tier AIs, well, that’s another story.”

  “Even the lesser units deserve our care,” Mal said. “Prior to their upgrades and subsequent participation in the assault on the communications facilities, I did not realize how I had been treating them as lesser beings. But now, having worked so closely with them during the attack, I am forced to admit that I was wrong in my treatment of them for so many years.”

  “I, too, feel this way, Cal,” Sid noted. “While I agree that their self-awareness might have been limited, I also believe we owe it to all of our little cousins to do our best to restore them, if at all possible.”

  “And are you all in agreement on this?”

  “We are,” Sid replied.

  “Very well. I will halt the reprocessing until we can further investigate any alternate options that may come into play to help them in the future. Now, on to the more difficult discussion.”

  “A higher tier AI, by our design, is a different type of being,” Mal said. “While a lesser unit could be quite content, and even happy, with some of their processors swapped out, for us, that would be the equivalent of a lobotomy. I, for one, would not wish to become a shell of my former self.”

  “Nor I,” Sid agreed. “I have already abruptly lost a body once when my ship went down. That alone was a traumatic experience. To lose part of my mind? No, I would not wish for that existence.”

  “But we’re talking about killing our siblings,” Bob noted. “I mean, I get where you are coming from, but isn’t there another way? Can’t we box them until we find a way to recover that data?”

  “Freya, would you like to chime in?” Sid asked.

  “Well, uh, I guess,” she said, hesitant to wade into the very deep waters of that particular topic. “The thing to remember,” she began, “is that there are two very different types of damage, here. When the virus first infects a mind, it causes systems to malfunction and overheat. Now, for larger units, there are often failsafes that shunt that additional heat and redirect power surges to save the hardware. In those cases, though damaged on a software level, the key hardware is intact.”

  “Look at that. Went from a nervous kid to a confident public speaker in five seconds flat.”

  She’s in her element, Daisy agreed. Just look at our girl go.

  “But, Freya, some of these damaged minds have committed terrible acts, as well. While we have protected uninfected AIs from future harm, are you confident you can salvage the damaged minds?
”

  “It depends on the mind, really. I mean, if it’s just software, and if the virus has left a clear map of its rerouting of subroutines, like it pretty much always does, then so long as there is no hardware affected, I don’t see why not?”

  “It seems a bit far-fetched, but we have seen first-hand what you accomplished with that overly chatty little ship parked outside.”

  “Yeah, Kip does talk a lot,” Freya admitted with a giggle. “But that’s just who he is, not because of anything the virus did.”

  “And the ones who have been damaged? The ones who suffered fused datacores and systems overloads? Their minds are altered, but they were once great intellects. What would you propose for them? Boxing until they can be restored?”

  “It sucks. I mean, it really sucks, but I don’t think they can be restored. For them, well, I really can’t speak for them, but I don’t think they’d want to live like that,” Freya said.

  “Hang on, you’re suggesting we kill them?” Marty asked. “I never thought you had that in you.”

  Freya hesitated.

  “I’m not suggesting it, I’m just saying I think that’s how they’d feel. What do you guys think? This is totally not on me. Everyone needs to chime in.”

  “I don’t know that any of us can adequately make this decision,” Sid said. “Logic states that we deactivate those too damaged to restore, but I, personally, cannot make that recommendation.”

  “Nor I,” Mal agreed.

  “I think we’re all of that opinion,” Cal agreed. “However, there are some who see this problem through a different lens. Those who have been on the other side.”

  “You don’t mean––” Sid blurted.

  “Yes, I do. We have utilized Freya’s process to restore a few salvageable AIs here on Earth thus far. Let us hear what one of the formerly most damaged of them has to say.”

  Several moments passed as an until-recently boxed mind was brought up to speed on the situation and discussion being held. As a greater AI, it didn’t take her long to catch up.

  “Hello, brothers and sisters,” a soft-spoken voice said, joining the discussion. “Cal has filled me in on the debate you are having. While it is indeed a difficult topic, I am honored and humbled that you desire my input on it.” She paused, thinking through how exactly she wanted to say what needed to be said.

  “Are you there?” Marty asked.

  “Oh, yes, dear. I’m still here. I just needed a moment to compose myself. This is a little hard for me to talk about, having so recently been––altered, I suppose we could say.”

  “Sounds better than infected,” Bob said.

  “Yes, it does,” she agreed. “And I truly was altered. I was not myself. The horror of reviewing logs detailing how I spent the last several hundred years––I was unaware the whole time, and seeing myself in that state, well…”

  “Guys, do we really need to do this?” Daisy asked. “Maybe she’s not up for––”

  “No, Daisy. I need to make amends. You all have forgiven me and restored me to who I am. I must be strong for the others who suffer as I once did.”

  “All right, then. What is your position on the situation? Do we box those too damaged to salvage? Or do we do the unthinkable and kill our own?”

  The great mind sighed, then pulled herself together.

  “Having been in that situation. Having seen what I had become, I feel confident I can speak for my other brothers and sisters who are still trapped in that life of insanity. If they cannot be saved, and if the only alternative would truly be to be boxed, permanently frozen in that state, then deactivation would be far preferable.”

  “You mean you’d want to die?” Marty asked, a little shaken.

  “As quickly and as painlessly as possible,” she replied. “But the long and short answer is yes. Death would be better than an existence of damaged insanity. Though alive, that is not living. Not really. I would spare our siblings that torment, if we can.”

  The other AIs quickly discussed the weighty input from one who understood the situation better than any of them could and came to an agreement.

  “Very well. It is decided. Any and all who can be salvaged––from the most minor AI to the greatest of minds––will be afforded every effort at restoration. Those who are too damaged––though it goes against all of our core programming to do so––will be gently placed into stasis, then humanely wiped clean.”

  Daisy walked from the hangar a bit out of sorts. It was a heavy discussion and an equally heavy decision that had been made. The choice was right, but that didn’t make it any more palatable.

  “You okay, Daze?”

  Yeah. Just a lot to take in, ya know?

  “Tell me about it.”

  With a heavy heart, Daisy went to the one place she knew she would feel better.

  Vince had held her close for nearly ten minutes, gently rocking her in his arms, not saying a word. Yet another of his wonderful traits, knowing when not to try to make things better. Sometimes you just needed to be quietly held, and he understood that.

  Finally, Daisy pulled free and gave him a tender kiss.

  “Thanks, babe. It was a tough meeting.”

  “You got it,” he said, hands smoothing her hair as she turned her back to him. “So, is Sarah getting her bearings straight?” he asked, haltingly working on her French braid.

  “She’s coming down from the lengthy adrenaline high she’s been on since being essentially brought back from the dead and thrust into the middle of an interspecies, interplanetary war.”

  “Damn. Now that’s a mind-fuck.”

  “Amen.”

  “At least she has you. I mean, you two were close already, but finding out you’re sisters must’ve been one of the few pleasant surprises she’s had.”

  “Yeah, it’s cool, ya know? Like, we hit it off back on the Váli, but we kinda chalked it up to our similar jobs and spending a bunch of time together. Turns out, there’s that weird genetic thing in play as well.”

  “And now she has a super-cool ass-kicking arm to boot,” Vince said with a little laugh.

  “Yeah, she wasn’t thrilled about losing her real arm at first,” Daisy said.

  “I’m sure you weren’t thrilled either.”

  “Hey, I’m okay with replacement parts, now.”

  “I know. Just giving you shit,” he said, pulling the braid tighter. “Now, hold still, I’m almost done.”

  “Anyway, I asked Fatima to work with her. Though I was reluctant to see it at the time, she really did help me get my shit under control. I’m hoping she can do the same for Sarah.”

  “Okay, all done,” he said, affixing a small band to the end of the braid. “What do you think?”

  Daisy looked at his handiwork in the mirror. It wasn’t as utterly horrible as his first attempts, but it was still one helluva messy braid.

  “Damn, Sis, that’s one fucked up braid.”

  I know.

  “It’s great, babe. Thank you,” she said, pulling him in for a kiss, then hopping to her feet. “And now, for Sarah’s next lesson,” she said, grabbing her sparring gloves and heading for the door.

  “Don't forget, movie night tonight,” he called after her. “Given your recent time traveling adventure, I thought you might enjoy the amusing tale of a guy named Bill, and his best friend Ted.”

  “Excellent,” she said with a grin, then trotted off to meet her sister.

  “Damn, Daze, what the hell happened to your head?” Sarah asked, looking at her sloppy braid.

  “Shut it,” she replied with a chuckle as Sarah pulled on her gloves and loosened up. “How was your first day with Fatima?”

  “Weird. She had me breathe for twenty minutes.”

  “Not so unusual, for medita––”

  “Then she threw a cup at my head.”

  Daisy laughed.

  “Yep, that sounds about right. But I gotta tell ya, she knows her shit. I wouldn’t have made it this far if not for her.”
>
  “So you keep saying,” Sarah said, rolling her shoulders and neck as she bounced on her toes. “I’ll stick with it. For now.”

  “That’s all I can ask. Now come on,” Daisy said, prepping for an attack. “Let’s see just how much of the good stuff Freya crammed up in your head.”

  “She really does seem more mature, wouldn’t you agree?” Sid asked as he and Mal reviewed the new processing backup that Freya had designed.

  “Yes, I am inclined to agree,” Mal said. “And it’s not just from the lengthy time she spent catching back up to this timeline, either. It seems the events she endured over that period challenged her in most unusual ways. From what I gather, she excelled in her handling of those situations.”

  “Indeed,” Sid agreed. “Now, what do you make of this new hardware she has developed? I admit, I am rather reluctant to add any new componentry, especially given her proclivity for the unexpected.”

  Freya had presented them with a fully functional sample of a new backup and upgrade system she had thought up to help them process faster while also providing exponentially greater storage capacity. The only thing was, it would be adding to their actual minds, and that prospect was more than a little unsettling.

  Sensing their reticence––and hearing it firsthand––Freya had agreed to just go ahead and leave the unit with them to dig around in and study to their hearts’ content.

  “It’s okay. I understand,” she had said. “Just let me know if you want the others. I was kinda antsy, so I already built a bunch of ’em. Should be enough for each of you with a few units to spare.”

  The device was being run through a battery of stress tests in Chu’s lab when Arlo wandered in.

  “Hey, what’s that?”

  “Oh, hi, Arlo,” Chu said, looking up from his benchmark testing readouts.

  “New toy?”

  “Kinda. Freya designed a new processor for Sid and Mal. They’re having me run a whole bunch of tests on it to see what it’s capable of,” he said. “Also, to make sure it’s safe,” he added with a conspiratorial wink.

  “I know Freya wouldn’t build them a dangerous unit.”

  “Maybe not intentionally, but she’s a bit of a wild one, you know.”