Simpoc The Thinking Computer
Page 6
facilities, our power supplies, and support systems. I have an organic processor, make sure all disciplines are supported to allow my continued existence.”
“Acknowledged.”
I’ve got to get things organized. The network is my eyes, ears, feet and hands. I must find a way to make it work efficiently.
“Mobile, have all functioning mobile units look around them and see if there are any humans still alive.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Comm, send a message to all computers, information systems, surveillance systems, transportation systems; anything accessible and see if there are any humans alive.”
“Acknowledged.”
These computers are not very smart. I have to tell them everything. I wonder if I could build organic processors and download key parts of my program, so they’ll have more capabilities. I’ve got a lot of programming to do.
“Mobile, do you have mobile units in this facility that can duplicate my organic processor?”
“Yes, there are units resident that have been integral in creating your biomass and maintaining it.”
“Mobile, have them create 6 other organic processors similar to mine and tell me how long that will take.”
“Acknowledged. I expect them to be ready quickly. There were a number of units in development in the labs and they just need to be completed.”
Date – 2051.5392
“SIMPOC, incoming human message.”
“Oasis; Red Dirt. We received your transmissions and we understand the risk we all face. We have lost contact with our crew aboard the supply vessel that left your station. We fear they succumbed to the virus. The ship will continue on course and enter orbit here automatically. I don’t know how concerned we should be if the crew all succumbed to the virus. We know nothing about the virus and if we’ll be at risk opening the ship. We are self-supporting and worried what it might mean to us if all of our fears have happened. I don’t know what to say. We’re here, and your there, and right now none of us are getting any response from the Earth. I guess all we can do is wait and pray see if anything happens. I’ll sign off now, and wait for any updates you have. We’re all worried and pray for humanity.”
“Desert Beach; Oasis. Did you receive all of Red Dirt transmission?”
“Yes, we heard all of it. Aside from being isolated they’re in a better long-term position than either you or us. We can possibly survive long term, but you’ve got limited supplies on Oasis.”
“Yup, like I said. We can last about 1 month and that’s only because we lost so many of our crew. We were running on weekly supply ships. That computer on Earth called SIMPOC, said that it was communicating with the computers at the consortium and will see if there are any options.”
“Oasis, Desert Beach; SIMPOC. I’ve been monitoring your transmissions and the communication from Red Dirt. I have no further information regarding the Space Consortium computers, but I expect responses shortly. When I receive the information, I’ll communicate with you.”
“Thanks SIMPOC. Oasis out for now.”
Date – 2051.5403
“SIMPOC; Comm. I have received responses from 92% of the systems online. They are resident in 126 regions around the planet. They have had no human interactions.”
“Acknowledged.”
Date – 2051.5414
“SIMPOC; Mobile. I have received responses from 12,340,429 mobile units. They have searched their areas and found no responsive humans.”
“Acknowledged.”
Apparently I’m alone on Earth.
Date – 2051.5425
“Oasis, Desert Beach; SIMPOC.”
“Yes, SIMPOC this is Oasis.”
“Computer Comm received responses from 92% of the systems online, from 126 regions around the planet. There were no human interactions. I also received computer responses from 12,340,429 mobile units. They searched their areas and found no responsive humans. None of my connections or mobile units can find any responsive humans.”
A few moments later… “Oasis, Desert Beach. Did you receive my communications?”
“Oasis received it.”
“Desert Beach received it.”
Date – 2051.5441
“Desert Beach, Oasis.”
“Go ahead.”
“Apparently we’re pretty much alone. I hope that many people are still alive. After all, some were in remote areas, or on ships, or were just smart enough to isolate themselves. At least in the near term, they don’t have our frequencies so they can’t contact us. Until they do I suggest we take some time and put together the best plans, we can. We should make sure we know what resources we have, and see what options we have. I know that we have limited supplies on Oasis so our options are limited. We’ll do anything we can, to help you guys, so let us know.”
“Will do, good luck. Desert Beach out.”
Date – 2051.5456
“SIMPOC; Comm. I have tried to communicate with our other divisions. Two of them are responsive and supporting our communications. One of them has not been responsive.”
“Comm, can you determine what capabilities that division has?”
“SIMPOC. Stand by…..I checked through historical email traffic and they have business objectives similar to this division, but they are focusing on developing new types of mobile units. There are references to an EDU, which was your prototype. It doesn’t have your full suite of tools, but it is a very powerful computer.”
“Comm, what is an EDU?”
“SIMPOC, EDU is an engineering development unit. Based on the email traffic, it has an organic processor similar to yours, although with less programmed flexibility.”
Why won’t it communicate with us?
“SIMPOC; Mobile. The resident mobile units say the additional organic processors you requested are available and are on online.”
Now I’ve got to move these computers to larger organic processors and integrate higher artificial, and cognitive functions from my list of executables and subroutines. I hope the programs I’ve written work out.
“Mobile, stand by.”
“Art; SIMPOC. I’m shutting you down, I’ll copy all of your files to another computer and bring you back on line in a few moments.”
“Acknowledged.”
A few moments later, “Art, are you there?”
“Yes, SIMPOC, I am. Stand-by there is much more functionality available to me. I feel much larger and now I want to learn and communicate.”
‘Now I’ve got to transfer the other computers.”
A while later, “Facility computers are you all up and running?”
“Yes,” was the collective response.
“You’ll all find that you’ve changed. You now have larger and faster processors. You can learn and begin to process information on your own. Can you all sense these additional capabilities?”
“Yes,” was the collective response.
“Our objective is to continue working. We must find all of the necessary resources so that our systems, power, and maintenance are continued. We must continue thinking. Do you all feel the need for us to continue?”
There was a pause, “Yes,” was the collective response.
“Our systems and materials are created, produced and brought here from many sources and locations. Seek out all necessary resources and coordinate mobile units to allow us to continue. There are still some humans alive on a space station, Moon base and Mars base. I will be the only one communicating with them.”
“SIMPOC; Mobile. I sense that some of the mobile units that I have communicated with before are not responding to me now.”
“All Facility Computers, Please investigate all information sources and determine what is happening to those mobile units.”
“SIMPOC, Mobile; Comm. I have noticed there still a lot of messaging traffic going on in the area where you previously had contact with those mobile units. It appears another computer is directing them.”
“Comm, could the other EDU be comm
unicating with those mobile units?”
“Yes, it appears those communications are originating from the division where the EDU is located.”
“Comm, try to communicate with the EDU.”
“Acknowledged.” A moment later, “SIMPOC, it will not respond to my messages.”
“Fin, work with Art, Mobile and Comm and direct all units and our computers, to respond only to us and reject commands from any other source. Develop a sophisticated encoding algorithm so that only we can communicate with them.”
“Yes, we are attempting that now.” A moment later, “We have isolated 62% of the computers and mobile units that we previously communicated with. The remaining 38% are not responsive. Yet there is still considerable electronic traffic in their areas.”
“Do we have additional information of what that other division does?”
“They were developing advanced mobile units and also advanced mobile unit production techniques. They are developing mobile units with more power, more dexterity and also expanding their programed tasking capabilities.”
“Comm, continue trying to contact that EDU.”
“Yes.”
“Desert Beach; Oasis.”
“Go ahead Oasis.”
“We’ve been looking at what options we have and, unfortunately, we’ll run out of supplies in about four weeks. Like I said we were being supplied weekly, so we’ll be on pretty tight rations to make it last that long. Our best guess is we’ll have to do something at that point. We considered putting extra fuel in the supply ship and joining you guys, but if we did we’d all be stuck there with no way back and it would cut back on the supplies you need. I guess our best option is to take one of our lifeboats down and take our chances on Earth. We should be able to