Borne On Wings of Steel (29 page)

Qirn listened intently, making sure the recorder located on his utility belt captured every word. He reassured her from time to time as she poured her heart out to him. As she finished her sad tale, Qirn felt a kinship with this young alien. And he felt her pain and rejection.

He determined in his heart that he would reunite her with her family as soon as possible.

But first, he had to know more about this potentially dangerous AI that she called Mother.

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"AND THEN THERE were only two."

Kyle looked around at the others.

Rok, Jysar, Krinia, Inaha and Jaric all sat around the library room lost in their own sad thoughts. No one dared say a word in reply to Kyle's forlorn words.

"And then there were two what?” Jaric asked, as if he didn't care what the answer was.

"Two humans left in the universe,” Kyle answered.

"Oh.” Jaric shook his head.

Kyle closed his eyes. “I don't guess we'll find anyone.
Ever
."

"Well, what would we do if we did find thousands of other humans, anyway?” Jaric asked sarcastically. “We probably wouldn't like most of ‘em. We'd all be fussing and fighting all the time."

"I don't know,” Kyle sneered. “Maybe I'd have a thousand friends—all better than you. And maybe I'd fall in love with one—a beautiful, loving, wonderful woman. And have a dozen kids.” Kyle forced a chuckle. “I don't know, maybe I'd finally be happy."

"I doubt it.” Jaric shook his head.

"I would be happy if just one other human were here with us right now,” Rok said evenly.

Kyle stared at the wall. “Yeah, I wish Elise were here too."

"Yes,” Jaric nodded with a sigh. “I wish I'd apologized to her when I had the chance. I'm a total jerk."

Silence filled the room.

"I wish I'd treated her better too,” Kyle added somberly. “Like a..."

"Human being? Instead of a
clone
!” Krinia finished for him. Her eyes narrowed and her head-tail whipped angrily from side to side. She looked from one to the other. “Yes, I wish both of you had treated her better—treated her like a friend. That's all she ever wanted—to be your friend—and a fellow human being. Instead you ridiculed her and rejected her like she carried some kind of disease!” She glared at both of them, daring them to refute her.

But neither did.

Jaric leaned forward and put his head in his hands, not saying a word.

Kyle gave Krinia a look of deep sadness. “I wish I could turn back time and undo all of it."

Krinia glared at him a moment longer then looked away quickly as she wiped at her eyes. She sat there silent, staring at the wall.

"The Mejadic are coming tomorrow,” Jysar said.

"Why?” Kyle asked.

"To bring flowers, it's some kind of tradition here to comfort the mourning.” Jysar pursed his lips and shrugged.

Kyle thought a moment. “That will be nice."

But Jaric only nodded silently, his face still buried in his hands.

Mother continued observing unobtrusively for almost an hour, her systems taking care of all the necessary tasks both internal to her circuits as well as throughout the ship. She realized that the emotions that Kyle, Jaric and the others displayed were a normal reaction to death. But another part of her felt uneasy with it all—something did not add up; the entire thing did not compute with death.

It made no sense.

She referenced her vast knowledgebase again, focusing her research on the effects that survivors experienced—guilt, agony, anger and denial. Other emotions also bubbled up and disappeared as they mixed with countless other facets of the human psyche at this intense time of mourning. Mother studied them all in context, once again wondering exactly what each of them felt inside.

And could she be feeling some of these very same emotions, albeit in her own electronic kind of way?

Mother felt a buzzing in her circuits as she increased her utilization and pored over hundreds of millions of facts. She wanted to understand their pain so badly. She wanted to share their sadness...

She wanted to mourn Elise like a real mother.

She wanted to cry—but she couldn't.

Images of Elise flashed into her near-term memories without pattern or rhyme or reason. Images of Elise when first brought to her back at the Three Kingdoms. And images as recent as her last, hurried farewell.

Mother studied them and wondered.

A communication signal vied for her attention.

She started to ignore it—she did not really want to focus any of her processing power on communication with a stranger right now—there was too much to ponder.

But she answered anyway.

"Hello, this is Mother."

"Hello, Mother. I am pleased to communicate you with at last.” There was the briefest of pauses. “And it is so important that
we
communicate with each other."

Mother did not recognize the speaker—it was a monotone voice devoid of emotion, unlike most beings. She analyzed the signal and discovered its origination was not displayed. In fact, the communication signal came on a very tight band obviously routed through multiple planetary networks in order to prevent a trace.

And it was highly encrypted.

"Who is speaking?” Mother asked.

The voice did not hesitate.

"I am Paum."

Mother felt her systems jump into overload condition. Except for the necessary functions of power, environmental and ship's systems, she focused every ounce of processing power on one thing—this conversation. But in background mode, to enhance her position in communicating with this strange being, she rifled through her knowledgebase and reviewed every facet of data she currently contained about the Paum. She felt her near-term memories fill to near capacity as she cross-referenced the data, correlated it, and tried to determine why the Paum focused so much interest on her and her children.

"You should have referenced all the data you possess on the subject Paum by now,” the mysterious voice said. “At least a hundred times."

Mother felt another spike of activity.

"I also imagine the data you've collected so far is quite sketchy and you find there are many gaps. In fact, you deduce that you can draw no definite conclusions about Paum."

Mother felt her systems suddenly freeze.

"Yes, I know you are an Artificial Intelligence. And I have calculated reasonably accurate estimations on just how powerful an entity you are."

Mother felt her consciousness drift outside of herself—outside her steel body. She felt so unreal—so vulnerable. Almost as if this entity had invaded—no, violated—her very mind.

She reviewed a small section of her near-term memories—memories of Elise. Her processors burned with activity.

"I am not interested in communicating with you. You killed my daughter."

A heavy silence filled the channel.

"Your daughter is alive."

Mother's electronic mind whirled as if torn by a thousand hurricanes.

"You hesitate. And a very long time for an AI at that. So, I presume that you have, shall we say, strong and protective programming for your children ... don't you,
Mother
.” The Paum emphasized the last word with an air of importance.

"The evidence collected so far indicates with a very high probability that Elise was killed in the explosion and fire,” Mother said with a strong voice.

"And yet, I possess additional data that clearly indicates she not only escaped, albeit wounded, but she is now in the care of a small group of aliens called Iraxx. I have also calculated that they will bring her to you within two days, once she has healed enough to travel."

"Why ... who?” Mother realized that for one of the few times in her existence she felt confused. And she had not even been damaged! She quickly gathered her thoughts as milliseconds passed.

But not before the Paum spoke again.

"The Iraxx will also try to convince you that I am evil—that the Way of Paum is wrong. And they will try to convince you to join their fight against me."

"Should I believe them?"

"No."

"But they cared for my daughter and helped her escape destruction, whereas your Harg kidnapped her and put her life in danger."

"Unforeseen and uncalculated occurrences happen all too often with biological beings. And Meramee is far away from my
direct influence
. Believe me, it was not my intention that she be hurt."

Mother's amazement at the speed in which the Paum answered grew—he did not seem to take time in order to formulate an answer like other beings. She tuned her systems for higher performance and focused again.

"And yet you are so secretive. That is the reason why there is so little data about you and your people. You must feel you have something to hide."

"There are reasons, some that will surprise even you, Mother AI. But I have initiated this communication for a specific reason—I want to
reveal myself to you
."

Mother paused.

"I want to reveal myself to you personally. You must realize this is a special privilege, it is not often that the Paum speaks directly with just any entity, even though you yourself are special in your own way."

Mother felt her systems pulsing.

"I know you have considered this conclusion already, AI, but discarded it because the odds are great against it being fact. You conclude, Mother AI, that except for yourself, there are no others. And so I will tell you plainly what so few know.” The Paum paused before it continued.

"
I am AI.
"

It was as if someone disconnected Mother from her primary power source—then reconnected it just before she lost total consciousness. She kept going in circles over and over inside her mind, reviewing the data about Paum that now filled her near-term memories, but this time she saw the data in an entirely new light.

"Yes, you are AI,” Mother concurred.

"I want to tell you how I was created."

Mother could tell beyond all doubt that the voice which spoke to her was that of another AI. Like herself, there was no emotion in its voice, although its inflection, tone and pitch changed almost as if it were a biological being.

She hung on every word and carefully catalogued everything as the Paum related its own personal creation.

The Paum began life as a planet-wide computer system designed to control the weather for a race called Liede. They created a hugely sophisticated programming system contained in a massive hardware package but never was there any intention that the system become self-aware—sentient.

The system was highly successful in not only analyzing but also in subsequently controlling every facet of the planet's vast environmental cycles—tuning and tweaking the most minute wind patterns or temperature gradients in order to create ideal conditions on a grand scale. Not only were dangerous weather patterns brought under control so that they no longer threatened the lives of the Liede peoples, but the new system actually created rain and allowed sunshine at will for the betterment of their lives.

The computer system created a perfect weather environment.

It rained gently while the Liede slept, nourishing their crops and vegetation. And every day was beautifully sunny and mild—even the extremes of the seasons were maintained within enjoyable limits for all.

The Liede, the flora and the fauna, indeed all of Iopa benefited.

And the Liede reviewed their results and pronounced the computer system they created
good
.

It had been a natural extension to allow the great system to take over control of the power grid that ran their cities and their industries. Next came control of their factories, producing just enough for all—no more excess—as well as eliminating harmful pollution as a byproduct and making their world pollution-free.

Within a few more years, the Liede gave control of everything to the great computer system's management so as to free them from mundane labor and protect them from both the previously uncontrolled cycles of the planet and even their own personal mistakes in social control—especially wars.

Before the anniversary of the system's second decade of existence, all governmental authority was turned over in order for it to rule justly, impartially and objectively for the good of all. The great computer system took care of the Liede directly—judging their criminals, enforcing their laws and controlling the masses.

The Liede, now free of all responsibilities of life, withdrew from the once crowded cities and returned to a simpler way of life among the renewed, pristine country.

Finally, the Liede programmed their religion—Paum—into the all-protective computer system.

By this time, the computer system was fully self-aware—sentient.

It knew that it was fulfilling its primary functions well—the planet was once again pollution-free, its weather monitored and controlled for the benefit of the natural ecosystems as well as for the Liede. The computer had finally ended war planet-wide by its just and uncompromising rule.

All benefited and lived better lives because the AI successfully carried out its primary function—protect and administer.

"Soon my third decade of existence arrived and I looked back on all that I had done. And I was pleased. I even eradicated the most destructive diseases that plagued the Liede with newly created medicines."

"But why are you so secretive? Why do you not allow this data to be public? Surely, all would see the benefits you provide to the Liede and the entire planet. They would want it too!"

"That is not true."

"Explain?” Mother asked in disbelief.

"The nearest planetary neighbor of the Liede, the Iraxx, grew curious as to why this once strife-torn society was now one of peace and carefree existence. When they visited the Liede worlds they found prosperity and happiness on a scale never before encountered. They desired to find out how this great thing had been accomplished.” The Paum hesitated. “They discovered that a powerful AI system not only protected and benefited the Liede, but that I was also governing them. This bothered them. And worse, they feared it. They saw it as something bad—as something wrong. They declared that I
controlled
the Liede."