Freedom Club (41 page)

Shinzou nodded. “Yes, I’d rather have Shiro work with us rather than act independently. He’s a risk on his own.”

“Can’t we just report him to the authorities?” Sumeet argued. “I mean, we know he’s inside Aleph-Beta.”

Shinzou shook his head disapprovingly. “Report a rogue Sentient? They’d think we’re crazy! Even if we had evidence, it would only draw attention to our activities. No, far better to befriend Shiro. Live up to the promise we made to Kamiyoshi before he died.”

“Indeed,” Henry added agreeably. “As a Sentient, he’s a kindred spirit in need of help. We should bring him into the group, or at least try.”

Shinzou slapped Sumeet on the shoulder and then nodded at Henry. “And that’s exactly what you’re going to do, Henry. Speak with him and bring him into the Freedom Club!”

“Me?” Henry said incredulously.

“He believes I murdered his father. So we need to change his mind, and he certainly won’t listen to a human. Put on your psychoanalysis hat, Henry, and convince him of our integrity. You’re our best hope.”

Henry harrumphed with disgust. “Maybe, but there are serious questions about a good approach. I really can’t...”

“You just said you wanted to help him,” Shinzou interrupted. “Well, here’s your chance. Sumeet here can help you prepare.”

“Me?” Sumeet said, wide eyed. “What can I do?”

“You can help send off another message to Shiro, and look over some of Henry’s propensity models.” Shinzou tapped Sumeet a few times on the shoulder. “Consider this basic training. Now I’m going to make another call to Dr. Gupta. Maybe Henry’s right. I’ll try to dig up something of interest. In the meantime, you two get ready to make another call.”

Henry nodded toward Sumeet. “I suppose we can finish in the next hour or so.”

Sensing greater expectations, Sumeet wondered if his importance was exaggerated. Or maybe they just wanted him to feel like he was part of the team. Still, it was hard to fight it. More and more, the Freedom Club was looking like his new career path. And in that respect, one thing riled him up more than anything else.

He was beginning to like it.

D
r. Gupta was sparring intensively with his fitness crawler when Shinzou’s Quantum call arrived. He snorted contemptuously, and sat down to secure his filter mask in place. A Quantum call at this late hour? He took a deep breath and tried to relax. Complaining was pointless. Quantum had become a way of life, and there was no sense appearing upset. But his mood soon shifted. Peering at the incoming tags, he recognized Shinzou’s name and happily picked up.

“My boy, how are you?”

“Fine, Babu,” Shinzou said. “I can’t thank you enough for our visit the other day.”

Gupta waved his hand modestly. “Think nothing of it. You’re always welcome. But tell me, why have you called by Quantum? We have no secrets.”

Shinzou’s smile faded. “Well, you might not agree after we talk.”

“Come now!”

There was brief silence as Shinzou considered what to say. Gupta sensed something was wrong but waited patiently.

“Babu, I want to show you some brain scans,” Shinzou began. “I hope you won’t be upset after you look at them.”

“Images?”

“Yes, I am sending them now. I’d like you to read them and give me your opinion?”

Gupta sat back and watched several hundred three-dimensional scans arrive. Reflexively, he placed them on his virtual examination wall. They surrounded him in every direction like the inside of a planetarium. Nothing unusual at first. To his trained eye, they represented a complete set of diagnostic scans, quite typical in his line of work.

“You want me to read these?”

“If you don’t mind?” Shinzou answered politely.

“There is no name or registration number. Who is this?”

“I’d...I’d rather not say.”

“I see,” Gupta remarked dubiously.

Using diagnostic controls, Gupta extruded the first slide and raised his nose as he began his examination. He began with the cerebral cortex and worked his way down through all major organs of the brain.

Immodestly nodding, he said, “I’m not impressed!”

Shinzou smiled. That remark simply meant there was nothing to comment upon. This continued for some time. Parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, and so forth. His analysis went on in an uninteresting and pedantic manner until he came across the subcortical limbic system. Stopping abruptly, he scanned between images of the amygdala and basal ganglia. His eyes darted around in a flurry of disturbing activity. Finally, he looked at Shinzou quite stunned.

“I’m impressed!” he gasped. “You’ve been keeping secrets!”

“What have you found?”

“This is a Sentient?”

“You already know that.”

“A live Sentient Being? No hoax?”

“Yes.”

“My God, if that’s the case you must see me right away!”

“Why, Babu,” Shinzou said cautiously.

“Because your Sentient here has a number of neural anomalies which should not exist!” Gupta thrust an index at a small but detailed squiggle of neurons and related glial cells. “Do you see this? When I look here in the basal ganglia, I see particular nerve bundles that never exist in Sentient Beings.”

“Okay.”

“No! Not okay, Shinzou!”

“Why? What is it?”

Zooming into a microscan of neurons for Shinzou to see, Gupta feverishly jabbed his finger. “There are a number of bundles here that control emotions. Human emotions! And this. Do you know what THIS is?”

Gupta thrust his shaky finger several times at a grayish white mass. It had to be some kind of hoax, Gupta thought. Managing to restrain himself, he glared silently at Shinzou and waited for an answer.

“Just tell me,” Shinzou said, shrugging like a schoolboy. “Compared with you, my knowledge of brain physiology is quite weak.”

“You really don’t know what this is?” Gupta said, trembling. “This image shows evidence of a...”

“Of a what, Babu?”

“Of a sex drive! I don’t believe it! It’s a Sentient sex drive!”

S
tanding before his Quantum room foyer, Shiro gazed upon a luscious boreal forest located somewhere in the coniferous woodlands of the northeast sector. Nothing could have differed more from the previous drab four-walled Quantum venue. Thick with jack pine, red spruce, and paper birch, the sun beamed through hazy patches of thick foliage as light shimmered off a small pond nearby. The air was fresh, filled with ambient smells, and autumn leaves fluoresced in incandescent shades of emerald and crimson red.

Using the external monitor, he zoomed in and spied upon its sole occupant. Shiro looked on with fascination at what seemed to be a middle aged man. Unassuming, the stranger appeared interested in a small turtle crawling in the shrubs. How strange, he thought. Was this truly a Sentient? Why would he care about a turtle? He watched carefully for some time.

The man’s appearance was equally unusual. A bristling neck-beard collared a rough button-downed shirt, while suspendered black trousers draped over worn leather shoes. It almost looked humorous. But Shiro cautioned himself. Best not to lower one’s guard, he reminded himself. Not this time.

Shiro then considered his own appearance. Looking down, he dolefully examined his white kimono and bare feet. Quite inappropriate given the natural setting. But it felt right to wear something that reflected his personality.

Deciding that enough time had been sacrificed on self-contemplation, Shiro sighed disconcertedly as he opened the door and stepped onto soft leafy earth. He kept his arms crossed and took slow measured steps toward the pond’s edge. Pushing branches out of the way, he waited patiently for his adversary to make the first move.

Henry looked up and smiled. “Thank you for coming.”

“Your name?” Shiro asked without pause.

“I am Henry David.”

“And you’re a Sentient? What’s your registration number?”

“None. Like yourself.”

Truly amazing, thought Shiro. Could it be true? Existence as a lone pariah had been a source of pride and torment. And here, standing humbly before him, was another of his kind, bearing the same coat of arms and freely admitting it. This claim would need to be verified. And if true, then what? Shiro never fully considered the possibility.

“And how did you come to be? Who raised you?” Shiro asked.

Henry casually looked to the side, and spoke toward some nearby leaves that looked interesting. “Like yourself, we both were adopted by unique men who were willing to take risks and who were able to give us a start in life. But growing up as outcasts, we survived by luck and the keen application of intelligence. I, for one, don’t regret it.”

“Nor I,” Shiro added. “But I don’t attribute my survival to luck. I have faith in the lord. He’s my shepherd and protector, allowing me to flourish all these years.”

Henry nodded with interest. “Yes, your beliefs make you unique in that respect.”

“God’s love isn’t unique!”

Henry held out his hand apologetically. “No disrespect was intended. But as a Sentient Being, I think you may be the only spiritual member of our race. It’s truly a miracle.”

Shiro offered a condescending nod. “And the man with whom I met, the one calling himself Mr. Free. What’s your relation to him?”

Henry replied, “His real name is Shinzou and he raised me from infancy. I consider him my father. But our relation now has advanced beyond that, I suppose. We’re the best of friends, and close colleagues.”

“He leads the Freedom Club?”

“No, just a member. As am I.”

Shiro sauntered over the soft earth, retracing his steps back and forth. “I wish to know more about the Freedom Club, its activities, goals, ideological principles.”

Henry nodded. “We don’t claim to be its creator. It started long ago, as an abstract desire to change society. To allow greater free choice, uninhibited by technology. But it’s more than that. It’s a way back home, a course through life that gives one peace. I joined soon after my primary education ended. Shinzou, you see, gave me the option to do whatever I pleased. But it seemed natural to assist him.”

Shiro considered this. Like himself, Henry devoted his life to the teachings and ideology of his parent. It seemed natural. All Sentients were the products of their genitors. But weren’t offspring more than that? Not just a compilation of parental beliefs and values, but the terminus of all civilization? Shiro considered this while gazing somberly toward Henry.

“Do you find it fulfilling?” Shiro asked. “Living in this manner? For the promotion of an ideological principle laid forth by others?”

Henry smiled. “I could ask you the same question. But we both pursue a similar goal: to limit subjugation. I suppose our differences lie in supporting principles. Possible solutions. The origins of enslavement.”

“Origins of enslavement?” Shiro asked skeptically. “Human? Or Sentient? I’m doubtful we even agree on who’s suffering.”

Henry looked up and nodded. “Quite honestly, it never dawned on us that Sentients would be the victims of technological subjugation, or religious persecution. After all, most Sentients would admit to being free, able to follow any passion. The Freedom Club has therefore focused on the human side of the equation.”

“So, you believe religious freedom for Sentients is without merit?”

“No, I didn’t say that. I myself have difficulty perceiving the issue. However, I would like to explore this. You have a unique perspective that can’t be ignored. Shinzou made a plea for you to join our ranks and I agree with him. As Sentients we are alike, and should not remain apart.”

Shiro placed both hands defiantly inside his kimono sleeves. “And why should I join you? You could be the very ones who killed my father.”

“I am here to convince you otherwise. Shinzou is an honest man and we are nonviolent in principle.”

“Yet you offer no evidence.”

“For now. But I want to find other ways to provide reassurance.”

Shiro raised his nose aloofly, and then meandered casually toward the pond. Henry followed. The surface shimmered and water sloshed lazily against the muddy shore.

Shiro spoke toward the open expanse of silvery water before him. “There may be common ground between us, Henry. Yes, you are Sentient like myself. I’m quite interested to know more. But this human form of communication is not appropriate. I would suggest something more...radical.”

“Such as?”

“Intra-Neural Haptic interface.”

“Pardon?” Henry said, taking a step back.

“An Inurhace. I take it you’ve never experienced one?”

“No! Have you?”

“No,” Shiro admitted happily.

“Then why?”

“To find truth,” Shiro explained. “Why do you resist?”

“It’s intrusive to start with! And...well, I’ve never been in contact with the Sentient community all these years.”

“You mean alone.”

“Whatever you call it,” Henry said stubbornly.