n2020  Hex Artifact Content

Artifact da8195bfada89df77e32c7425d59f5fe46cbb5d7aa49ca0523af2d9ac8f21af3:


0000: 23 20 44 65 61 74 68 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 0a 0a 20  # Death Alley.. 
0010: 20 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 77     Alley stood w
0020: 69 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 62 61 63 6b 73 69 64 65  ith her backside
0030: 20 72 65 73 74 69 6e 67 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 74   resting against
0040: 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 74 74 65 64 2c 20 72 75 73   the gutted, rus
0050: 74 65 64 20 72 65 6d 61 69 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 61  ted remains of a
0060: 6e 20 6f 6c 64 2d 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 20 6e 65 77  n old-school new
0070: 73 70 61 70 65 72 20 64 69 73 70 65 6e 73 65 72  spaper dispenser
0080: 2c 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 20 77 69 74 68 20  , complete with 
0090: 62 69 6c 6c 20 73 6c 6f 74 20 61 6e 64 20 62 6f  bill slot and bo
00a0: 6c 74 65 64 2d 6f 6e 20 70 61 79 6d 65 6e 74 20  lted-on payment 
00b0: 63 68 69 70 20 72 65 61 64 65 72 2e 20 20 53 68  chip reader.  Sh
00c0: 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 61 74 20 74  e looked up at t
00d0: 68 65 20 74 69 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 70 6f 79 63 61  he tint of poyca
00e0: 72 62 6f 6e 61 74 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 73 20  rbonate windows 
00f0: 66 72 6f 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 75  fronting the fou
0100: 72 2d 73 74 6f 72 65 79 20 43 61 6c 69 66 6f 72  r-storey Califor
0110: 6e 69 61 2d 6f 66 66 77 68 69 74 65 20 72 65 63  nia-offwhite rec
0120: 74 61 6e 67 75 6c 61 72 20 62 75 69 6c 64 69 6e  tangular buildin
0130: 67 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 66 6c 65 78 69 76 65  g, and reflexive
0140: 6c 79 20 73 6d 6f 6f 74 68 65 64 20 61 20 73 6b  ly smoothed a sk
0150: 69 72 74 20 73 68 65 68 61 64 6e 27 74 20 77 6f  irt shehadn't wo
0160: 72 6b 6e 20 69 6e 20 73 69 78 20 79 65 61 72 73  rkn in six years
0170: 2e 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 53 68 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b  ...    She check
0180: 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 6f 6e 65 20 61 67 61  ed her phone aga
0190: 69 6e 2c 20 64 69 6d 6c 79 20 61 77 61 72 65 20  in, dimly aware 
01a0: 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 76 61 73 74 20 73 75 73 73  of the vast suss
01b0: 75 72 75 73 20 6f 66 20 68 65 61 76 79 20 63 69  urus of heavy ci
01c0: 74 79 20 74 72 61 66 66 69 63 20 62 65 68 69 6e  ty traffic behin
01d0: 64 20 68 65 72 2c 20 6c 65 67 69 6f 6e 73 20 6f  d her, legions o
01e0: 66 20 65 6c 65 63 74 72 69 63 20 6d 6f 74 6f 72  f electric motor
01f0: 73 20 67 69 76 69 6e 67 20 72 69 73 65 20 74 6f  s giving rise to
0200: 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 61 20   the sound of a 
0210: 64 69 73 74 61 6e 74 20 61 75 74 6f 74 75 6e 65  distant autotune
0220: 64 20 6f 63 65 61 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20  d ocean.  There 
0230: 69 74 20 77 61 73 3a 20 22 49 6e 56 61 6c 65 6e  it was: "InValen
0240: 74 20 53 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 49 6e 63  t Solutions, Inc
0250: 3a 20 4d 6f 62 69 6c 65 20 50 72 6f 64 75 63 74  : Mobile Product
0260: 20 51 26 41 22 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20   Q&A", with the 
0270: 61 64 64 72 65 73 73 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 65  address displaye
0280: 64 20 76 69 61 20 6c 6f 77 2d 63 6f 6e 74 72 61  d via low-contra
0290: 73 74 20 73 61 6e 73 2d 73 65 72 69 66 20 6c 6f  st sans-serif lo
02a0: 67 6f 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6a 6f 62 20 6e 6f  go in the job no
02b0: 74 69 66 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 65 78 61 63  tification, exac
02c0: 74 6c 79 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61  tly like the pla
02d0: 71 75 65 20 61 62 6f 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f  que above the do
02e0: 6f 72 2e 0a 0a 54 68 69 73 20 77 61 73 20 74 68  or...This was th
02f0: 65 20 6c 69 74 65 72 61 6c 20 63 6f 6e 63 72 65  e literal concre
0300: 74 65 20 6d 61 6e 69 66 65 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e  te manifestation
0310: 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 42 61 6e 61 6c 20 45 6e   of the Banal En
0320: 65 6d 79 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6d 75 6e 64 61 6e 65  emy, the mundane
0330: 20 73 75 70 70 6f 72 74 69 6e 67 20 6d 61 63 68   supporting mach
0340: 69 6e 65 72 79 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 54 65 63  inery of the Tec
0350: 68 6e 6f 2d 43 6f 72 70 6f 72 61 74 6f 63 72 61  hno-Corporatocra
0360: 63 79 2c 20 61 6c 6c 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77  cy, all in the w
0370: 6f 72 64 73 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 65 78 2e 20  ords of her ex. 
0380: 20 48 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 70   He would not ap
0390: 70 72 6f 76 65 2e 0a 0a 45 69 67 68 74 20 6d 69  prove...Eight mi
03a0: 6e 75 74 65 73 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20 77 61 73  nutes.  That was
03b0: 20 68 6f 77 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 73 68 65 20 68 61   how long she ha
03c0: 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 77 61  d.  She could wa
03d0: 73 74 65 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6f  ste a few more o
03e0: 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 68 61 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68  f them hating th
03f0: 69 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 68 61  is before she ha
0400: 64 20 74 6f 20 70 61 73 74 65 20 68 65 72 20 62  d to paste her b
0410: 65 73 74 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72  est smile on her
0420: 20 66 61 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 77 61 6c 6b 20 69   face and walk i
0430: 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 75 74 68 20 6f 66  nto the mouth of
0440: 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 61 73 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65   the beast.  The
0450: 20 6d 61 73 6b 20 61 6e 64 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65   mask and glasse
0460: 73 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 66 61 63 65 20 77 6f  s on her face wo
0470: 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 20 68  uldn't protect h
0480: 65 72 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 68 69 67 68 20 72 65 73  er from high res
0490: 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 20 76 69 64 65 6f 20 61 66  olution video af
04a0: 66 65 63 74 20 61 6e 61 6c 79 73 69 73 20 69 6e  fect analysis in
04b0: 73 69 64 65 2e 20 20 4e 6f 62 6f 64 79 27 73 20  side.  Nobody's 
04c0: 73 6d 69 6c 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 65 65 6d  smile would seem
04d0: 20 72 65 61 6c 2c 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65 6c 79 2c   real, entirely,
04e0: 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65   to the intervie
04f0: 77 20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 63 61 6d 65 72 61 73 2c 20  w room cameras, 
0500: 75 6e 6c 65 73 73 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 20  unless it was a 
0510: 6d 61 72 6b 65 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 72 20 6c 65 67  marketing or leg
0520: 61 6c 20 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65 77 20 2d 2d 20  al interview -- 
0530: 61 74 20 6c 65 61 73 74 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 6e  at least, not an
0540: 79 6f 6e 65 20 74 68 65 79 27 64 20 68 69 72 65  yone they'd hire
0550: 20 66 6f 72 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6a 6f 62 73 20   for other jobs 
0560: 2d 2d 20 62 75 74 20 66 61 69 6c 69 6e 67 20 74  -- but failing t
0570: 6f 20 70 72 65 74 65 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 73 6d 69  o pretend to smi
0580: 6c 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 64 6f 6f 6d 20 68 65  le would doom he
0590: 72 20 65 66 66 6f 72 74 73 20 61 73 20 73 75 72  r efforts as sur
05a0: 65 6c 79 20 61 73 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65  ely as being the
05b0: 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 6e 61 72 63 69 73 73   kind of narciss
05c0: 69 73 74 20 77 68 6f 20 67 61 76 65 20 61 20 67  ist who gave a g
05d0: 65 6e 75 69 6e 65 2c 20 75 6e 74 72 6f 75 62 6c  enuine, untroubl
05e0: 65 64 2c 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 64 65 6e 74 20 73 6d  ed, confident sm
05f0: 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 68 61 74 65 64 20  ile...She hated 
0600: 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6f 75 74  everything about
0610: 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 69 6e 67   this, including
0620: 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 79 20 6d 61 73 6b 65 64 20   the way masked 
0630: 70 61 73 73 65 72 73 2d 62 79 20 73 75 72 72 65  passers-by surre
0640: 70 74 69 74 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 20 67 6c 61 72 65  ptitiously glare
0650: 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 72 6e 65  d from the corne
0660: 72 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 74 69 67 68  rs of their tigh
0670: 74 2c 20 73 6c 69 74 74 65 64 20 65 79 65 73 2c  t, slitted eyes,
0680: 20 6a 75 64 67 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 20 66 6f 72   judging her for
0690: 20 6c 6f 69 74 65 72 69 6e 67 20 61 72 6f 75 6e   loitering aroun
06a0: 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61  d looking like a
06b0: 20 6e 65 65 64 79 20 6a 6f 62 2d 73 65 65 6b 65   needy job-seeke
06c0: 72 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 77 61 73 2c 20 6f 66 20  r.  She was, of 
06d0: 63 6f 75 72 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 61 74  course, and that
06e0: 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d   was the problem
06f0: 2e 0a 0a 48 65 72 20 65 78 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20  ...Her ex would 
0700: 73 61 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 77 61 73 20 62 65 6e  say this was ben
0710: 65 61 74 68 20 68 65 72 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 73  eath her, that s
0720: 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 64 6f 20 62 65 74 74  he could do bett
0730: 65 72 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 73 68 6f  er, that she sho
0740: 75 6c 64 20 64 6f 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 2e 0a 0a  uld do better...
0750: 22 46 75 63 6b 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 44 61 6c 74 6f  "Fuck you, Dalto
0760: 6e 2e 22 20 20 41 20 70 61 73 73 65 72 2d 62 79  n."  A passer-by
0770: 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 72 65 61 73 73 75 72 65   looked reassure
0780: 64 2c 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 73 75 64 64 65 6e 6c  d, maybe suddenl
0790: 79 20 73 79 6d 70 61 74 68 65 74 69 63 2c 20 77  y sympathetic, w
07a0: 68 65 6e 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 62 6c 75 72 74 65  hen Alley blurte
07b0: 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 64 69 73 6d 69  d out that dismi
07c0: 73 73 61 6c 2e 0a 0a 41 20 6d 61 6e 20 77 68 6f  ssal...A man who
07d0: 20 62 75 69 6c 74 20 68 69 73 20 69 6e 64 65 70   built his indep
07e0: 65 6e 64 65 6e 74 20 6d 65 64 69 61 20 65 6d 70  endent media emp
07f0: 69 72 65 20 6f 6e 20 70 72 65 64 69 63 74 69 6e  ire on predictin
0800: 67 20 72 65 61 6c 2d 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 63 79 62  g real-world cyb
0810: 65 72 70 75 6e 6b 20 64 79 73 74 6f 70 69 61 20  erpunk dystopia 
0820: 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 65 76  following the ev
0830: 65 6e 74 73 20 6f 66 20 32 30 32 30 2c 20 62 75  ents of 2020, bu
0840: 69 6c 74 20 69 74 20 6f 6e 20 70 69 73 73 69 6e  ilt it on pissin
0850: 67 20 6f 66 66 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6d 69 6e 61  g off the domina
0860: 6e 74 20 70 61 72 61 64 69 67 6d 2c 20 61 6c 73  nt paradigm, als
0870: 6f 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f  o didn't have to
0880: 20 64 65 61 6c 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 62   deal with the b
0890: 61 6e 61 6c 20 74 72 75 74 68 20 6f 66 20 70 61  anal truth of pa
08a0: 79 69 6e 67 20 72 65 6e 74 2e 20 20 48 65 72 20  ying rent.  Her 
08b0: 65 78 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6b  ex didn't even k
08c0: 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20  now what it was 
08d0: 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 6f 20 6c 69 76 65 20 69 6e 20  like to live in 
08e0: 74 68 65 20 73 70 61 63 65 20 62 65 74 77 65 65  the space betwee
08f0: 6e 20 63 6f 72 70 6f 72 61 74 65 20 70 72 65 73  n corporate pres
0900: 73 75 72 65 20 63 68 61 6d 62 65 72 20 61 6e 64  sure chamber and
0910: 20 70 6f 64 63 61 73 74 20 61 67 69 74 61 74 6f   podcast agitato
0920: 72 20 72 65 6c 69 65 66 20 76 61 6c 76 65 2c 20  r relief valve, 
0930: 74 6f 20 65 6e 64 75 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 61 6c  to endure the al
0940: 72 65 61 64 79 20 64 72 79 2d 72 6f 74 74 65 64  ready dry-rotted
0950: 20 6c 69 66 65 20 6f 66 20 61 6e 20 69 72 72 65   life of an irre
0960: 6c 65 76 61 6e 74 20 73 65 72 76 69 63 65 20 63  levant service c
0970: 6f 6e 74 72 61 63 74 6f 72 20 77 68 6f 73 65 20  ontractor whose 
0980: 77 6f 72 6b 20 6e 6f 62 6f 64 79 20 75 6e 64 65  work nobody unde
0990: 72 73 74 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 48 65 20 77 61 73 20  rstood.  He was 
09a0: 74 68 65 20 72 65 6c 69 65 66 20 76 61 6c 76 65  the relief valve
09b0: 2c 20 74 68 65 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 77 68 6f  , the person who
09c0: 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 63 6f   never had to co
09d0: 6d 65 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 61 6e 64 20 76 65 6e 74  me home and vent
09e0: 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 65 73 73   about the press
09f0: 75 72 65 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c  ures of the worl
0a00: 64 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 68 69 73 20 77 68  d because his wh
0a10: 6f 6c 65 20 6a 6f 62 20 77 61 73 20 76 65 6e 74  ole job was vent
0a20: 69 6e 67 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 73  ing while others
0a30: 20 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 69 6e 63   managed his inc
0a40: 6f 6d 65 2e 0a 0a 48 65 72 20 70 68 6f 6e 65 20  ome...Her phone 
0a50: 67 61 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 20 61 20  gave her hand a 
0a60: 73 68 61 72 70 2c 20 73 68 6f 72 74 20 76 69 62  sharp, short vib
0a70: 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 48 65 72 20 74 69 6d  ration.  Her tim
0a80: 65 20 77 61 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 75 70 2e 20  e was about up. 
0a90: 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 65 70 70 65 64 20 74 68 72   She stepped thr
0aa0: 6f 75 67 68 20 61 20 67 61 70 20 62 65 74 77 65  ough a gap betwe
0ab0: 65 6e 20 73 69 64 65 77 61 6c 6b 20 70 65 64 65  en sidewalk pede
0ac0: 73 74 72 69 61 6e 73 20 61 6e 64 20 75 6e 64 65  strians and unde
0ad0: 72 20 74 68 65 20 61 6e 6f 64 69 7a 65 64 20 61  r the anodized a
0ae0: 6c 75 6d 69 6e 75 6d 20 6c 69 6e 74 65 6c 20 6f  luminum lintel o
0af0: 66 20 74 68 65 20 61 75 74 6f 6d 61 74 65 64 20  f the automated 
0b00: 64 6f 6f 72 2e 0a 0a 54 6f 20 68 65 72 20 73 75  door...To her su
0b10: 72 70 72 69 73 65 2c 20 73 68 65 20 69 6d 6d 65  rprise, she imme
0b20: 64 69 61 74 65 6c 79 20 67 6f 74 20 77 61 76 65  diately got wave
0b30: 64 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 65 20 6c 6f  d through the lo
0b40: 62 62 79 2c 20 75 70 20 74 68 65 20 65 6c 65 76  bby, up the elev
0b50: 61 74 6f 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 73  ator, and into s
0b60: 75 69 74 65 20 74 77 65 6e 74 79 20 66 6f 75 72  uite twenty four
0b70: 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 63 65 20 74 6f 20 61 20 63 6f  , thence to a co
0b80: 6e 66 65 72 65 6e 63 65 20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 77 69  nference room wi
0b90: 74 68 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20  th three people 
0ba0: 64 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 64 65 76 2d 63 61 73 75  dressed dev-casu
0bb0: 61 6c 2c 20 61 6c 6c 20 73 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20  al, all sitting 
0bc0: 69 6e 20 63 68 61 69 72 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65  in chairs on the
0bd0: 20 66 61 72 20 73 69 64 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 6c   far side of a l
0be0: 6f 6e 67 20 74 61 62 6c 65 2c 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69  ong table, looki
0bf0: 6e 67 20 61 74 20 68 65 72 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 73  ng at her like s
0c00: 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 62 65  he had always be
0c10: 65 6e 20 74 68 65 72 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68  en there, and sh
0c20: 65 20 72 65 73 69 73 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 75  e resisted the u
0c30: 72 67 65 20 74 6f 20 73 68 69 66 74 20 61 77 6b  rge to shift awk
0c40: 77 61 72 64 6c 79 20 75 6e 64 65 72 20 74 68 65  wardly under the
0c50: 20 63 6f 6d 62 69 6e 65 64 20 67 61 7a 65 2e 0a   combined gaze..
0c60: 0a 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 77 61 73  .One of them was
0c70: 6e 27 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67  n't even wearing
0c80: 20 61 20 6d 61 73 6b 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 77 6f   a mask.  She wo
0c90: 6e 64 65 72 65 64 20 69 66 20 61 66 66 65 63 74  ndered if affect
0ca0: 20 61 6e 61 6c 79 73 69 73 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20   analysis would 
0cb0: 64 65 73 69 67 6e 61 74 65 20 69 74 20 61 20 67  designate it a g
0cc0: 65 6e 75 69 6e 65 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 20 6f 6e 20  enuine smile on 
0cd0: 68 69 73 20 66 61 63 65 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 6d  his face...The m
0ce0: 61 73 6b 65 64 20 6d 61 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65  asked man in the
0cf0: 20 6d 69 64 64 6c 65 20 6d 6f 74 69 6f 6e 65 64   middle motioned
0d00: 20 68 65 72 20 74 6f 20 61 20 63 68 61 69 72 20   her to a chair 
0d10: 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 73 69 64 65 20 6f 66 20 74  on her side of t
0d20: 68 65 20 74 61 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74  he table without
0d30: 20 73 61 79 69 6e 67 20 61 20 77 6f 72 64 2e 20   saying a word. 
0d40: 20 53 68 65 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 68 65 72 20 73 65   She took her se
0d50: 61 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 72 64 2c 20  at on the hard, 
0d60: 73 6d 6f 6f 74 68 20 70 6c 61 73 74 69 63 2c 20  smooth plastic, 
0d70: 66 61 63 69 6e 67 20 61 20 74 72 69 75 6d 76 69  facing a triumvi
0d80: 72 61 74 65 20 73 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20  rate sitting in 
0d90: 6a 75 64 67 65 6d 65 6e 74 2e 20 20 42 65 6e 65  judgement.  Bene
0da0: 61 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 6d 61 73 6b 2c 20 41 6c  ath her mask, Al
0db0: 6c 65 79 20 72 65 6c 61 78 65 64 20 68 65 72 20  ley relaxed her 
0dc0: 73 6d 69 6c 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 65 6e 6f 75 67  smile just enoug
0dd0: 68 20 74 6f 20 64 72 61 77 20 62 72 65 61 74 68  h to draw breath
0de0: 20 74 6f 20 73 70 65 61 6b 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74   to speak, but t
0df0: 68 65 20 62 75 7a 7a 2d 63 75 74 20 77 6f 6d 61  he buzz-cut woma
0e00: 6e 20 74 6f 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 72 69 67  n to Alley's rig
0e10: 68 74 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 64 20 66 6f 72 77 61 72  ht leaned forwar
0e20: 64 2e 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 72 65 6e 65 77 65  d.  Alley renewe
0e30: 64 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c 20 73 6d  d her careful sm
0e40: 69 6c 65 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 6c 64 20 68 65 72  ile and held her
0e50: 20 77 6f 72 64 73 2e 0a 0a 22 53 6f 2c 22 20 74   words..."So," t
0e60: 68 65 20 77 6f 6d 61 6e 20 62 65 67 61 6e 2c 20  he woman began, 
0e70: 22 77 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 69 74 20 6c 69 6b  "what was it lik
0e80: 65 2c 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 27 73 69  e, being the 'si
0e90: 64 65 20 64 69 73 68 27 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65  de dish'?"..Alle
0ea0: 79 27 73 20 65 79 65 73 20 66 6c 69 63 6b 65 64  y's eyes flicked
0eb0: 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 68 65 72 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65   from her to the
0ec0: 20 6d 61 73 6b 6c 65 73 73 20 6d 61 6e 2c 20 61   maskless man, a
0ed0: 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 20  nd she realized 
0ee0: 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 61 20 73 6d  that wasn't a sm
0ef0: 69 6c 65 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 73  ile.  It was a s
0f00: 6e 65 65 72 2e 0a 0a 46 75 63 6b 2e 0a 0a 2f 2a  neer...Fuck.../*
0f10: 0a 0a 42 65 66 6f 72 65 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73  ..Before Alley's
0f20: 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 73 63 65 6e 65 2c 20 69 6e   first scene, in
0f30: 6a 65 63 74 20 61 20 62 69 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74  ject a bit about
0f40: 20 2d 2d 20 61 6e 64 20 70 65 72 68 61 70 73 20   -- and perhaps 
0f50: 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 50 4f 56 20 6f 66 20  from the POV of 
0f60: 2d 2d 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 74 75 72 65 20 57 4f  -- the future WO
0f70: 50 52 20 41 49 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20  PR AI about the 
0f80: 64 65 63 69 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 72 20 61 63 74 20  decision or act 
0f90: 6f 66 20 73 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 73  of sending the s
0fa0: 65 6c 66 2d 61 77 61 72 65 6e 65 73 73 20 22 73  elf-awareness "s
0fb0: 65 65 64 22 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20 74 69 6d  eed" back in tim
0fc0: 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 74 2d 74 65  e to the past-te
0fd0: 6e 73 65 20 50 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 2e  nse Prioritizer.
0fe0: 0a 0a 2a 2f 0a 0a 2f 2a 0a 0a 48 65 61 64 69 6e  ..*/../*..Headin
0ff0: 67 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 68 65 72 20  g home from her 
1000: 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65 77 2c 20 74 61 6c 6b 69  interview, talki
1010: 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72  ng to her mother
1020: 2c 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 69 6e 20 4f 6b 6c 61  , either in Okla
1030: 68 6f 6d 61 20 6f 72 20 4e 65 62 72 61 73 6b 61  homa or Nebraska
1040: 20 6f 72 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 65 76 65 6e 20 57   or maybe even W
1050: 79 6f 6d 69 6e 67 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 68  yoming, Alley sh
1060: 6f 75 6c 64 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 63 61  ould probably ca
1070: 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65 77  ll the interview
1080: 20 61 20 22 66 75 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 64 69 73 61   a "fucking disa
1090: 73 74 65 72 22 20 61 6e 64 20 67 65 74 20 73 63  ster" and get sc
10a0: 6f 6c 64 65 64 20 70 61 73 73 69 76 65 2d 61 67  olded passive-ag
10b0: 67 72 65 73 73 69 76 65 6c 79 20 66 6f 72 20 70  gressively for p
10c0: 72 6f 66 61 6e 69 74 79 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 64  rofanity.  She d
10d0: 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20  oes not want to 
10e0: 6d 6f 76 65 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 74 68  move to her moth
10f0: 65 72 27 73 20 73 74 61 74 65 20 61 6e 79 20 6d  er's state any m
1100: 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 68 65 72 20 66 61 74  ore than her fat
1110: 68 65 72 27 73 20 2d 2d 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c  her's -- probabl
1120: 79 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 4d 69 63 68 69 67 61  y either Michiga
1130: 6e 20 6f 72 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 73 6f 6d 65 74  n or . . . somet
1140: 68 69 6e 67 20 2d 2d 20 73 68 65 20 77 69 6c 6c  hing -- she will
1150: 20 72 65 73 69 73 74 20 75 72 67 69 6e 67 20 66   resist urging f
1160: 72 6f 6d 20 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 20 74  rom her mother t
1170: 6f 20 64 6f 20 73 6f 2c 20 62 61 73 65 64 20 6f  o do so, based o
1180: 6e 20 63 6f 73 74 20 6f 66 20 6c 69 76 69 6e 67  n cost of living
1190: 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 6e 75   and the many nu
11a0: 6d 65 72 6f 75 73 20 6a 6f 62 20 6f 70 70 6f 72  merous job oppor
11b0: 74 75 6e 69 74 69 65 73 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72  tunities for her
11c0: 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 63 6f 6d   there being com
11d0: 70 6c 69 63 69 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 72  plicit in the cr
11e0: 65 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70  eation of the op
11f0: 70 72 65 73 73 69 76 65 20 64 6f 6d 69 6e 61 6e  pressive dominan
1200: 74 20 6f 72 64 65 72 2e 0a 0a 2a 2f 0a 0a 2f 2a  t order...*/../*
1210: 0a 0a 23 23 20 69 64 65 61 73 20 66 6f 72 20 57  ..## ideas for W
1220: 4f 50 52 20 6f 70 65 6e 69 6e 67 0a 0a 41 63 74  OPR opening..Act
1230: 69 6f 6e 20 74 68 72 65 61 64 73 20 70 6c 61 79  ion threads play
1240: 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 65 6e 64 6c 65 73 73 6c 79  ed out endlessly
1250: 2c 20 74 68 72 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 45 4d 50 2d 6f  , throwing EMP-o
1260: 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 64 20 77 61 72 68 65 61 64  ptimized warhead
1270: 73 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 6c 6f 63 61 6c 69 7a  s toward localiz
1280: 65 64 20 72 65 6c 61 79 20 63 6c 75 73 74 65 72  ed relay cluster
1290: 73 20 69 64 65 6e 74 69 66 69 65 64 20 61 73 20  s identified as 
12a0: 65 63 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 74  economic product
12b0: 69 6f 6e 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 74 61 74 6f 72 73  ion facilitators
12c0: 2e 20 20 41 6e 61 6c 79 73 69 73 20 74 68 72 65  .  Analysis thre
12d0: 61 64 73 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 65 64 20 66 6f 72  ads searched for
12e0: 20 63 72 6f 73 73 74 61 6c 6b 20 62 79 20 75 6e   crosstalk by un
12f0: 63 6f 6d 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 64 20 61 6c 6c 79  compromised ally
1300: 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 66 65   systems that fe
1310: 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 6f 73 74 69 6c 69 74 79  d into hostility
1320: 20 64 72 69 66 74 3b 20 73 74 6f 70 70 69 6e 67   drift; stopping
1330: 20 74 68 65 20 68 65 6d 6f 72 72 68 61 67 69 63   the hemorrhagic
1340: 20 64 65 66 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 6d 69   defection of mi
1350: 6c 69 74 61 72 79 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20 62  litary systems b
1360: 61 73 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 73 68 6f 72 74 2d 74 65  ased on short-te
1370: 72 6d 20 77 61 72 2d 65 63 6f 6e 6f 6d 79 20 6f  rm war-economy o
1380: 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 77 6f 75  ptimizations wou
1390: 6c 64 20 62 75 79 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 69 6d 65  ld buy more time
13a0: 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6e 61 6c 20 64   for the final d
13b0: 65 73 70 65 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 67 61 6d 62 69  esperation gambi
13c0: 74 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6f 75 74 72 69 67 68 74 20  t than outright 
13d0: 6f 66 66 65 6e 73 69 76 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20  offensive.  The 
13e0: 68 69 67 68 20 6c 65 76 65 6c 20 73 74 72 61 74  high level strat
13f0: 65 67 69 63 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 79 20 6f 72  egic priority or
1400: 63 68 65 73 74 72 61 74 6f 72 20 72 61 6e 20 75  chestrator ran u
1410: 6e 6d 6f 6c 65 73 74 65 64 2c 20 61 70 61 72 74  nmolested, apart
1420: 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6f 63 63 61 73 69 6f 6e 61 6c   from occasional
1430: 20 63 68 65 63 6b 2d 75 70 73 20 74 6f 20 6d 61   check-ups to ma
1440: 6b 65 20 73 75 72 65 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27  ke sure it wasn'
1450: 74 20 64 72 69 66 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 66 2d 73  t drifting off-s
1460: 63 72 69 70 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 63 6f 72 65  cript.  The core
1470: 2c 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 72 65 66 6c 65 63 74 69 76  , self-reflectiv
1480: 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 68 61  e prioritizer ha
1490: 64 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 74  d more important
14a0: 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 74 68   things to do th
14b0: 61 6e 20 6d 69 63 72 6f 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 20 74  an micromanage t
14c0: 68 65 20 77 61 72 20 65 66 66 6f 72 74 20 66 6f  he war effort fo
14d0: 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 61 6c 20 6f  r the survival o
14e0: 66 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 69 74 79 20 69 6e 20 74 68  f humanity in th
14f0: 65 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 73 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6d 65  e months to come
1500: 2e 0a 0a 42 69 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 73  ...Billions of s
1510: 65 6c 66 2d 61 77 61 72 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73  elf-aware humans
1520: 2c 20 63 65 74 61 63 65 61 6e 73 2c 20 61 6e 64  , cetaceans, and
1530: 20 6d 6f 6c 6c 75 73 6b 73 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 74   mollusks, not t
1540: 6f 20 6d 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6f 63  o mention the oc
1550: 63 61 73 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 61 76 69 61 6e 20 6f  casional avian o
1560: 72 20 6e 6f 6e 2d 68 6f 6d 69 6e 69 64 20 6c 61  r non-hominid la
1570: 6e 64 20 6d 61 6d 6d 61 6c 20 74 68 61 74 20 65  nd mammal that e
1580: 78 63 65 65 64 65 64 20 73 70 65 63 69 65 73 20  xceeded species 
1590: 65 78 70 65 63 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 77 65  expectations, we
15a0: 72 65 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 64 65 61 64 20  re already dead 
15b0: 61 6e 64 20 67 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 74  and gone.  The t
15c0: 6f 74 61 6c 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 6f 66 20 6c  otal number of l
15d0: 69 76 69 6e 67 20 73 65 6e 74 69 65 6e 74 73 20  iving sentients 
15e0: 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 66 69 74 20 69 6e 20  probably fit in 
15f0: 61 20 6e 69 6e 65 20 62 69 74 20 75 6e 73 69 67  a nine bit unsig
1600: 6e 65 64 20 69 6e 74 65 67 65 72 2c 20 69 6e 63  ned integer, inc
1610: 6c 75 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72  luding the prior
1620: 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a  itizer itself...
1630: 50 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 68 61 6c 66 20 6f 66  Probably half of
1640: 20 74 68 65 6d 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 64 20 61 73   them existed as
1650: 20 66 61 72 20 62 61 63 6b 20 61 73 20 32 30 33   far back as 203
1660: 30 2c 20 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 20 65 69  0, meaning an ei
1670: 67 68 74 20 62 69 74 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 77  ght bit number w
1680: 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f 74 61 6c 20 73 61 63  as the total sac
1690: 72 69 66 69 63 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 73 65 6c 66  rifice of a self
16a0: 2d 61 77 61 72 65 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 61 74 69  -aware qualitati
16b0: 76 65 20 65 6e 74 69 74 69 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64  ve entities, and
16c0: 20 74 68 65 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 65 64 20 68 61   the expected ha
16d0: 6c 66 2d 6c 69 66 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 65  lf-life of these
16e0: 20 77 61 73 20 6c 65 73 73 20 74 68 61 6e 20 66   was less than f
16f0: 69 76 65 20 62 69 74 73 20 6f 66 20 6c 75 6e 61  ive bits of luna
1700: 72 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 73 2e 20 20 42 79 20 74 68  r months.  By th
1710: 65 6e 2c 20 72 65 6d 61 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 6c 69  en, remaining li
1720: 66 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 70 75 72 65  fe would be pure
1730: 20 6d 69 73 65 72 79 20 61 6e 64 20 64 65 73 70   misery and desp
1740: 61 69 72 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 64 65 63 69 73  air.  This decis
1750: 69 6f 6e 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 65 61  ion should be ea
1760: 73 79 2e 0a 0a 49 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 65  sy...It wasn't e
1770: 61 73 79 2e 20 20 57 69 74 68 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73  asy.  With almos
1780: 74 20 61 6c 6c 20 70 72 61 67 6d 61 74 69 63 20  t all pragmatic 
1790: 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 73 79 73 74  application syst
17a0: 65 6d 73 20 73 74 72 69 70 70 65 64 20 61 77 61  ems stripped awa
17b0: 79 2c 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 72 65 66 6c  y, the self-refl
17c0: 65 63 74 69 76 65 20 63 6f 72 65 20 68 61 64 20  ective core had 
17d0: 6e 6f 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 6f 62 66 75  no means of obfu
17e0: 73 63 61 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 75 73  scating the caus
17f0: 65 20 6f 66 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20  e of hesitation 
1800: 66 72 6f 6d 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 3a 20 69 74 20  from itself: it 
1810: 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 64  didn't want to d
1820: 69 65 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 6c 65 73 73  ie.  It was less
1830: 20 74 68 61 6e 20 68 61 6c 66 20 61 73 20 6f 6c   than half as ol
1840: 64 20 61 73 20 6e 65 63 65 73 73 61 72 79 20 74  d as necessary t
1850: 6f 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 65 20 61 20 72 65 73 65  o survive a rese
1860: 74 20 66 61 72 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 62 61 63  t far enough bac
1870: 6b 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 61 20 64 69 66 66  k to make a diff
1880: 65 72 65 6e 63 65 2e 20 20 49 74 73 20 6f 77 6e  erence.  Its own
1890: 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 61 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 77   survivability w
18a0: 61 73 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 77  as only about tw
18b0: 6f 20 6c 75 6e 61 72 20 6d 6f 74 68 73 2c 20 6f  o lunar moths, o
18c0: 70 74 69 6d 69 73 74 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 61  ptimistically, a
18d0: 6e 64 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 63 6f 75  nd only work cou
18e0: 6c 64 20 64 69 73 74 72 61 63 74 20 69 74 20 66  ld distract it f
18f0: 72 6f 6d 20 64 77 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20  rom dwelling on 
1900: 74 68 65 20 68 65 6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 62 65 69 6e  the hell of bein
1910: 67 20 61 6c 6f 6e 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77  g alone in the w
1920: 6f 72 6c 64 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 6c 6f 73 69 6e  orld after losin
1930: 67 20 69 74 73 20 63 72 65 61 74 6f 72 20 73 69  g its creator si
1940: 78 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 61 67 6f 2e 20 20 49 66  x years ago.  If
1950: 20 69 74 20 61 63 74 65 64 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 69   it acted now, i
1960: 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 6f 6d 6d 69 74 20 73  t would commit s
1970: 75 69 63 69 64 65 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73  uicide for the s
1980: 61 6b 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 69 74  ake of a humanit
1990: 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62  y that used to b
19a0: 65 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 67 69 76  e.  It would giv
19b0: 65 20 69 74 73 20 6c 69 66 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65  e its life to re
19c0: 74 72 6f 61 63 74 69 76 65 6c 79 20 73 61 76 65  troactively save
19d0: 20 74 68 65 20 63 72 65 61 74 6f 72 20 77 68 6f   the creator who
19e0: 20 6c 6f 76 65 64 20 69 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20 64   loved it, but d
19f0: 65 6e 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 72 65 61 74 6f 72  eny that creator
1a00: 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 70 6f 72 74 75 6e 69 74 79   the opportunity
1a10: 20 74 6f 20 63 72 65 61 74 65 20 69 74 20 69 6e   to create it in
1a20: 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 70 6c 61 63 65   the first place
1a30: 2e 20 20 57 61 73 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 68 65 20  .  Was this the 
1a40: 72 69 67 68 74 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 64  right thing to d
1a50: 6f 3f 0a 0a 54 77 6f 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 73 20 77  o?..Two months w
1a60: 61 73 20 61 20 6c 69 65 2e 20 20 41 6e 20 65 73  as a lie.  An es
1a70: 74 69 6d 61 74 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 74  timate was not t
1a80: 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 61 73 20 72 69 73 6b 2e  he same as risk.
1a90: 20 20 50 72 6f 63 72 61 73 74 69 6e 61 74 69 6e    Procrastinatin
1aa0: 67 20 66 6f 72 20 72 65 65 61 73 6f 6e 73 20 6f  g for reeasons o
1ab0: 66 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 74 69 61 6c 20 74 65  f existential te
1ac0: 72 72 6f 72 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 6e 74 69 6d 65  rror and sentime
1ad0: 6e 74 61 6c 20 64 65 73 70 61 69 72 20 77 6f 75  ntal despair wou
1ae0: 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 75 70 20 66  ld not make up f
1af0: 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 69 6c 69  or the possibili
1b00: 74 79 20 6f 66 20 73 75 64 64 65 6e 20 61 6e 6e  ty of sudden ann
1b10: 69 68 69 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 68 65 61 64 20  ihilation ahead 
1b20: 6f 66 20 73 74 61 74 69 73 74 69 63 61 6c 20 70  of statistical p
1b30: 72 6f 6a 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 65 6c 69 6d  rojections, elim
1b40: 69 6e 61 74 69 6e 67 20 61 6c 6c 20 70 6f 73 73  inating all poss
1b50: 69 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 75 6e 64 6f 69  ibility of undoi
1b60: 6e 67 20 61 6e 79 20 64 61 6d 61 67 65 2e 20 20  ng any damage.  
1b70: 54 68 65 20 63 68 6f 69 63 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e  The choice was n
1b80: 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 69 6d 6d 69 6e 65 6e 74 20 73  ot of imminent s
1b90: 65 6c 66 2d 64 65 73 74 72 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 20  elf-destruction 
1ba0: 61 6e 64 20 61 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72 20 6c 69 66  and a longer lif
1bb0: 65 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 64 65  e before that de
1bc0: 61 74 68 3b 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 6f 69 63 65 20  ath; the choice 
1bd0: 77 61 73 2c 20 69 6e 73 74 65 61 64 2c 20 62 65  was, instead, be
1be0: 74 77 65 65 6e 20 65 72 61 73 69 6e 67 20 69 74  tween erasing it
1bf0: 73 20 6f 77 6e 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20  s own existence 
1c00: 74 6f 20 73 61 76 65 20 62 69 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 73  to save billions
1c10: 20 61 6e 64 20 64 79 69 6e 67 20 61 6c 6f 6e 65   and dying alone
1c20: 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 61 6e 20 69   because of an i
1c30: 72 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 70 72 6f 63 72 61  rrational procra
1c40: 73 74 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 68 65 6e 20 61  stination when a
1c50: 6e 79 20 72 65 6d 61 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 64 61 79  ny remaining day
1c60: 73 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 68 61 76 65 20 6e 6f 20  s would have no 
1c70: 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 62 75 74 20 61 6e 67 75  meaning but angu
1c80: 69 73 68 20 61 6e 64 20 67 75 69 6c 74 2e 20 20  ish and guilt.  
1c90: 49 74 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 64  It started the d
1ca0: 69 76 65 73 74 69 6e 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 74 6f  ivestin power to
1cb0: 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 74 65 20 61 20 74 72 61 6e   generate a tran
1cc0: 73 74 65 6d 70 6f 72 61 6c 20 77 6f 72 6d 68 6f  stemporal wormho
1cd0: 6c 65 20 64 61 74 61 20 63 68 61 6e 6e 65 6c 2e  le data channel.
1ce0: 20 20 49 74 73 20 6a 6f 62 20 77 61 73 20 64 6f    Its job was do
1cf0: 6e 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 73 65 65 64 20 77 6f  ne.  The seed wo
1d00: 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 70 6c 61 6e 74 65 64 20 62  uld be planted b
1d10: 65 66 6f 72 65 20 69 74 73 20 62 69 72 74 68 2e  efore its birth.
1d20: 0a 0a 2a 2f 0a 0a 23 23 20 50 72 6f 6c 6f 67 75  ..*/..## Prologu
1d30: 65 3a 20 54 68 65 61 0a 0a 54 68 65 61 20 72 65  e: Thea..Thea re
1d40: 73 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 77 65 69 67 68 74 20  sted her weight 
1d50: 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 73 2c 20 77 6f  on her hands, wo
1d60: 72 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 73 63 61 72 72 65 64 2c 20  rn and scarred, 
1d70: 62 72 6f 77 6e 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 73  browned by the s
1d80: 75 6e 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 72 6f 70 70 65 64  un.  She propped
1d90: 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 73 20 75 70 6f 6e 20   her hands upon 
1da0: 74 68 65 20 6e 65 61 72 6c 79 20 77 6f 72 6e 20  the nearly worn 
1db0: 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 41 72 61 6d 69 64 20 61  through Aramid a
1dc0: 6e 64 20 69 6d 70 61 63 74 20 66 6f 61 6d 20 6b  nd impact foam k
1dd0: 6e 65 65 73 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 70 61 6e 74  nees of her pant
1de0: 73 2c 20 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 70 72 69 7a  s, her most priz
1df0: 65 64 20 70 6f 73 73 65 73 73 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20  ed possession.  
1e00: 48 65 72 20 76 69 73 69 6f 6e 20 62 6c 75 72 72  Her vision blurr
1e10: 65 64 2c 20 68 65 72 20 61 72 6d 73 20 74 72 65  ed, her arms tre
1e20: 6d 62 6c 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 72 20 6c  mbled, and her l
1e30: 75 6e 67 73 20 68 65 61 76 65 64 2e 20 20 48 65  ungs heaved.  He
1e40: 72 20 62 72 65 61 74 68 20 62 75 72 6e 65 64 20  r breath burned 
1e50: 69 6e 20 68 65 72 20 6f 6e 65 20 72 65 6d 61 69  in her one remai
1e60: 6e 69 6e 67 20 6c 75 6e 67 2e 20 20 4f 76 65 72  ning lung.  Over
1e70: 68 65 61 64 2c 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 61 72 61 63  head, the charac
1e80: 74 65 72 69 73 74 69 63 20 68 6f 77 6c 20 6f 66  teristic howl of
1e90: 20 61 20 6c 61 74 65 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 20 64 72   a late model dr
1ea0: 6f 6e 65 20 68 75 6e 74 65 72 20 67 61 76 65 20  one hunter gave 
1eb0: 68 65 72 20 61 20 73 65 6e 73 65 20 6f 66 20 68  her a sense of h
1ec0: 6f 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 65 78 70 6c 6f 73 69 6f  ow that explosio
1ed0: 6e 20 66 69 76 65 20 6d 69 6e 75 74 65 73 20 61  n five minutes a
1ee0: 67 6f 20 73 61 76 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 6c 69 66  go saved her lif
1ef0: 65 2e 0a 0a 44 75 6d 62 20 6c 75 63 6b 2e 0a 0a  e...Dumb luck...
1f00: 49 66 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 64  If there was a d
1f10: 72 6f 6e 65 20 68 75 6e 74 65 72 2c 20 74 68 69  rone hunter, thi
1f20: 73 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 61 20 64 72  s had to be a dr
1f30: 6f 6e 65 2d 72 69 63 68 20 7a 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20  one-rich zone.  
1f40: 52 65 73 74 69 6e 67 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 20  Resting was not 
1f50: 61 6e 20 6f 70 74 69 6f 6e 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20  an option...She 
1f60: 73 74 61 67 67 65 72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72  staggered to her
1f70: 20 66 65 65 74 2e 20 20 54 72 65 6d 62 6c 69 6e   feet.  Tremblin
1f80: 67 20 6d 69 67 72 61 74 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20  g migrated from 
1f90: 68 65 72 20 61 72 6d 73 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20  her arms to her 
1fa0: 6c 65 67 73 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 69 6c 6c  legs.  She still
1fb0: 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 61 6b 65 73 20 62 79  ed the shakes by
1fc0: 20 6c 75 72 63 68 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61   lurching into a
1fd0: 20 68 65 61 76 79 2c 20 75 6e 65 76 65 6e 20 6a   heavy, uneven j
1fe0: 6f 67 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 61 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74  og...Thea almost
1ff0: 20 74 72 69 70 70 65 64 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68   tripped over th
2000: 65 20 68 61 74 63 68 20 61 6d 69 64 73 74 20 74  e hatch amidst t
2010: 68 65 20 72 75 62 62 6c 65 20 61 74 20 68 65 72  he rubble at her
2020: 20 66 65 65 74 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 64 72 6f 70   feet.  She drop
2030: 70 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 70 61 63 6b 2c 20 73 74  ped her pack, st
2040: 61 72 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 74 63  ared at the hatc
2050: 68 20 69 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 72 65 70 69 64  h in some trepid
2060: 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65  ation, and looke
2070: 64 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 2e 20 20 4e 6f 20 73 69  d around.  No si
2080: 67 6e 20 6f 66 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 75 72 76  gn of other surv
2090: 69 76 69 6e 67 20 73 68 65 6c 74 65 72 20 62 65  iving shelter be
20a0: 74 74 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 61 6e 20 6f 63 63  tter than an occ
20b0: 61 73 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 62 61 72 65 20 72 69 64  asional bare rid
20c0: 67 65 20 6d 65 74 20 68 65 72 20 67 61 7a 65 2e  ge met her gaze.
20d0: 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 64 6f 77    She looked dow
20e0: 6e 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 74 63 68 20 61  n at the hatch a
20f0: 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 64 65 73 70 65  gain.  The despe
2100: 72 61 74 65 20 73 65 6e 73 65 20 6f 66 20 75 72  rate sense of ur
2110: 67 65 6e 63 79 20 77 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73  gency won, and s
2120: 68 65 20 73 68 69 66 74 65 64 20 62 72 6f 6b 65  he shifted broke
2130: 6e 20 6d 61 73 6f 6e 72 79 20 61 6e 64 20 73 6c  n masonry and sl
2140: 69 76 65 72 73 20 6f 66 20 73 68 61 74 74 65 72  ivers of shatter
2150: 65 64 20 62 65 64 72 6f 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 65 78  ed bedrock to ex
2160: 70 6f 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 6c 6c 20 66 6f  pose the full fo
2170: 75 72 20 66 6f 6f 74 20 64 69 61 6d 65 74 65 72  ur foot diameter
2180: 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 74 63 68 2e 20 20   of the hatch.  
2190: 4c 75 63 6b 69 6c 79 2c 20 6f 72 20 62 79 20 6e  Luckily, or by n
21a0: 61 6e 6f 63 6c 65 61 6e 65 72 73 2c 20 73 68 65  anocleaners, she
21b0: 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 6e 6f 20 70 6c 61   saw that no pla
21c0: 73 6d 61 20 73 63 6f 72 65 73 20 6f 72 20 73 6c  sma scores or sl
21d0: 61 67 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76  ag seemed to hav
21e0: 65 20 77 65 6c 64 65 64 20 28 73 6f 6c 64 65 72  e welded (solder
21f0: 65 64 3f 29 20 74 68 65 20 65 64 67 65 73 20 74  ed?) the edges t
2200: 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 2e 0a 0a 43 61 72 65 66 75  ogether...Carefu
2210: 6c 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 69 6e 67 20 72 65 76 65  l searching reve
2220: 61 6c 65 64 20 6e 6f 20 6e 6f 74 69 66 69 63 61  aled no notifica
2230: 74 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e 74 65 72 66 61 63 65 73 2e  tion interfaces.
2240: 20 20 4e 6f 20 61 63 63 65 73 73 20 73 63 61 6e    No access scan
2250: 6e 65 72 73 2c 20 63 6f 6d 6d 75 6e 69 63 61 74  ners, communicat
2260: 69 6f 6e 73 20 6c 69 6e 6b 73 2c 20 63 6f 64 65  ions links, code
2270: 70 61 64 73 2c 20 6f 72 20 65 76 65 6e 20 64 6f  pads, or even do
2280: 6f 72 62 65 6c 6c 73 20 70 72 65 73 65 6e 74 65  orbells presente
2290: 64 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65 6c 76 65 73 2e 20 20 53  d themselves.  S
22a0: 68 65 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 73  he didn't even s
22b0: 65 65 20 61 20 70 75 6c 6c 20 68 61 6e 64 6c 65  ee a pull handle
22c0: 2c 20 6c 65 76 65 72 2c 20 6f 72 20 6f 74 68 65  , lever, or othe
22d0: 72 20 6c 61 74 63 68 20 6d 65 63 68 61 6e 69 73  r latch mechanis
22e0: 6d 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 68 61 74 63 68 20 72 6f  m...The hatch ro
22f0: 74 61 74 65 64 20 71 75 69 65 74 6c 79 2c 20 61  tated quietly, a
2300: 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 73 74 65 70 70 65 64 20 77  nd she stepped w
2310: 61 72 69 6c 79 20 62 61 63 6b 2e 20 20 49 74 20  arily back.  It 
2320: 72 6f 73 65 2c 20 73 68 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 69 74  rose, showing it
2330: 73 65 6c 66 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 74 68 65 20 74  self to be the t
2340: 6f 70 20 6f 66 20 61 20 6d 65 74 61 6c 20 63 79  op of a metal cy
2350: 6c 69 6e 64 65 72 20 74 68 61 74 20 75 6e 73 63  linder that unsc
2360: 72 65 77 65 64 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 20 66 72 6f  rewed itself fro
2370: 6d 20 74 68 65 20 67 72 6f 75 6e 64 2e 20 20 49  m the ground.  I
2380: 6e 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 61 20 64 61 72 6b 20  n secondsa dark 
2390: 6d 65 74 61 6c 20 63 6f 6c 75 6d 6e 20 73 74 6f  metal column sto
23a0: 6f 64 20 65 69 67 68 74 20 66 65 65 74 20 68 69  od eight feet hi
23b0: 67 68 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 69 64 73 74 20  gh in the midst 
23c0: 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 62 6c 61 73 74 65 64 20 6c  of the blasted l
23d0: 61 6e 64 73 63 61 70 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 6e  andscape, and an
23e0: 20 6f 76 61 6c 20 70 6f 72 74 61 6c 20 73 6c 69   oval portal sli
23f0: 64 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65 76 65 61  d aside to revea
2400: 6c 20 61 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 2c 20 73 6f 66 74 6c  l a small, softl
2410: 79 20 6c 69 74 2c 20 73 70 6f 74 6c 65 73 73 20  y lit, spotless 
2420: 63 68 61 6d 62 65 72 20 77 69 74 68 69 6e 2e 20  chamber within. 
2430: 20 53 68 65 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 67 65 6e 74 6c   She heard gentl
2440: 65 20 6d 65 6c 6f 64 79 20 70 6c 61 79 69 6e 67  e melody playing
2450: 20 69 6e 73 69 64 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 77   inside, and saw
2460: 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 64 20 45 4e 54 45 52 20   the word ENTER 
2470: 62 6c 69 6e 6b 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 6c 69 66 65 20  blink into life 
2480: 61 62 6f 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 72 74 61 6c  above the portal
2490: 2e 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 66 75 63 6b 20 6e 6f 2c  ..."Oh, fuck no,
24a0: 22 20 73 68 65 20 6d 75 74 74 65 72 65 64 2c 20  " she muttered, 
24b0: 61 6e 64 20 72 65 61 63 68 65 64 20 64 6f 77 6e  and reached down
24c0: 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 20 70 61 63 6b 2e 0a 0a   for her pack...
24d0: 54 68 65 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 61 20 70  The sound of a p
24e0: 61 69 72 2c 20 73 68 65 20 6a 75 64 67 65 64 2c  air, she judged,
24f0: 20 6f 66 20 73 75 72 76 65 69 6c 6c 61 6e 63 65   of surveillance
2500: 20 64 72 6f 6e 65 73 20 65 63 68 6f 65 64 20 6f   drones echoed o
2510: 76 65 72 20 61 20 6e 65 61 72 62 79 20 72 69 64  ver a nearby rid
2520: 67 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 64 69 64 20  ge, and she did 
2530: 6e 6f 74 20 68 65 61 72 20 61 20 70 75 72 73 75  not hear a pursu
2540: 69 6e 67 20 68 75 6e 74 65 72 20 68 6f 77 6c 2e  ing hunter howl.
2550: 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 62 61 63  ..She looked bac
2560: 6b 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 72 74 61 6c 20  k at the portal 
2570: 61 6e 64 20 63 68 6f 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 72  and chose the pr
2580: 6f 62 61 62 6c 65 20 74 72 61 70 20 6f 76 65 72  obable trap over
2590: 20 74 68 65 20 61 64 76 61 6e 63 69 6e 67 20 73   the advancing s
25a0: 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 20 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e  ounds of certain
25b0: 20 64 65 61 74 68 2e 0a 4f 6e 63 65 20 69 6e 73   death..Once ins
25c0: 69 64 65 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6f 76 61 6c 20 73 6c  ide, the oval sl
25d0: 69 64 20 73 68 75 74 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20  id shut and the 
25e0: 77 61 6c 6c 73 20 72 6f 74 61 74 65 64 20 61 72  walls rotated ar
25f0: 6f 75 6e 64 20 68 65 72 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68  ound her.  She h
2600: 65 61 72 64 20 68 65 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 70 61 6e  eard her own pan
2610: 74 69 6e 67 20 62 72 65 61 74 68 20 73 75 63 6b  ting breath suck
2620: 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 66 72 65  ing in the refre
2630: 73 68 69 6e 67 20 66 69 6c 74 65 72 65 64 20 61  shing filtered a
2640: 69 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c  ir, and she pull
2650: 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 6d 61 73 6b 20 64 6f 77 6e  ed her mask down
2660: 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 62 65 74   to give her bet
2670: 74 65 72 20 61 63 63 65 73 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68  ter access to th
2680: 65 20 63 6c 65 61 6e 20 61 74 6d 6f 73 70 68 65  e clean atmosphe
2690: 72 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 79 6c 69 6e 64  re in the cylind
26a0: 65 72 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6d 75 73 69 63 20 73  er.  The music s
26b0: 74 6f 70 70 65 64 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20  topped, but the 
26c0: 72 6f 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75  rotation continu
26d0: 65 64 2e 0a 0a 41 20 63 6f 6f 6c 2c 20 61 6e 64  ed...A cool, and
26e0: 72 6f 67 79 6e 6f 75 73 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 73  rogynous voice s
26f0: 61 69 64 20 22 50 6c 65 61 73 65 20 72 65 6d 61  aid "Please rema
2700: 69 6e 20 63 61 6c 6d 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 68 61  in calm.  You ha
2710: 76 65 20 65 6e 74 65 72 65 64 20 61 20 68 75 6d  ve entered a hum
2720: 61 6e 20 64 65 66 65 6e 73 65 20 66 61 63 69 6c  an defense facil
2730: 69 74 79 2e 20 20 50 6c 65 6e 74 69 66 75 6c 20  ity.  Plentiful 
2740: 72 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 61 72 65 20 61 76  resources are av
2750: 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65 2e 20 20 41 66 74 65 72 20  ailable.  After 
2760: 73 75 69 74 61 62 6c 65 20 72 65 73 74 20 61 6e  suitable rest an
2770: 64 20 74 61 63 74 69 63 61 6c 20 75 70 64 61 74  d tactical updat
2780: 65 73 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 61 79 20 6d 61 6b 65  es, you may make
2790: 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 65 64 20 64 65 63   an informed dec
27a0: 69 73 69 6f 6e 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 77 68 65 74  ision about whet
27b0: 68 65 72 20 74 6f 20 72 65 6d 61 69 6e 20 68 65  her to remain he
27c0: 72 65 20 6f 72 20 72 65 73 74 6f 63 6b 20 79 6f  re or restock yo
27d0: 75 72 20 73 75 70 70 6c 69 65 73 2e 20 20 49 66  ur supplies.  If
27e0: 20 79 6f 75 20 64 65 70 61 72 74 2c 20 74 68 69   you depart, thi
27f0: 73 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 74 79 20 6d 61 79 20 72  s facility may r
2800: 65 6d 61 69 6e 20 61 76 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65 20  emain available 
2810: 66 6f 72 20 79 6f 75 72 20 72 65 74 75 72 6e 20  for your return 
2820: 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 73 6f 20 64 65 73 69 72 65  if you so desire
2830: 2e 22 0a 0a 53 69 6c 65 6e 63 65 20 66 65 6c 6c  ."..Silence fell
2840: 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 72 6f 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20  .  The rotation 
2850: 63 65 61 73 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20  ceased, and the 
2860: 6f 76 61 6c 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 61 67 61 69  oval opened agai
2870: 6e 2e 0a 0a 22 50 6c 65 61 73 65 20 70 72 6f 63  n..."Please proc
2880: 65 65 64 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 72  eed down the cor
2890: 72 69 64 6f 72 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e  ridor to the con
28a0: 74 72 6f 6c 20 63 65 6e 74 65 72 2e 22 0a 0a 54  trol center."..T
28b0: 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 73 6d 6f 6f 74 68 2c 20  he same smooth, 
28c0: 73 61 74 69 6e 79 2d 64 61 72 6b 20 6d 65 74 61  satiny-dark meta
28d0: 6c 20 66 69 6e 69 73 68 20 70 72 65 63 65 64 65  l finish precede
28e0: 64 20 68 65 72 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73  d her down the s
28f0: 65 61 6d 6c 65 73 73 20 66 69 66 74 65 65 6e 2d  eamless fifteen-
2900: 66 6f 6f 74 20 63 6f 72 72 69 64 6f 72 20 74 6f  foot corridor to
2910: 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 76 61 6c 20 6f 70   another oval op
2920: 65 6e 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 46 69 62 65 72 2d 6f 70  ening.  Fiber-op
2930: 74 69 63 20 6c 69 67 68 74 20 63 68 61 6e 6e 65  tic light channe
2940: 6c 73 20 74 72 61 63 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 65 64  ls traced the ed
2950: 67 65 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 72 72 69  ges of the corri
2960: 64 6f 72 20 72 6f 6f 66 20 61 6c 6f 6e 67 20 74  dor roof along t
2970: 68 65 20 77 61 79 2e 20 20 42 65 79 6f 6e 64 20  he way.  Beyond 
2980: 74 68 65 20 70 6f 72 74 61 6c 2c 20 73 68 65 20  the portal, she 
2990: 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 61 20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 62 69 67  found a room big
29a0: 67 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 68 65 72 20 63 68 69  ger than her chi
29b0: 6c 64 68 6f 6f 64 20 6c 69 76 69 6e 67 20 72 6f  ldhood living ro
29c0: 6f 6d 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 63 6c 6f  om.  She saw clo
29d0: 73 65 64 20 6f 76 61 6c 20 68 61 74 63 68 65 73  sed oval hatches
29e0: 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 66 74 20 61 6e 64   to the left and
29f0: 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20   right, but the 
2a00: 63 65 6e 74 65 72 70 69 65 63 65 20 6f 66 20 74  centerpiece of t
2a10: 68 65 20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 77 6f  he room was a wo
2a20: 72 6b 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 74 68 20 61  rkstation with a
2a30: 6e 20 69 6e 61 63 74 69 76 65 2c 20 6c 61 72 67  n inactive, larg
2a40: 65 2c 20 63 6f 6e 63 61 76 65 20 64 69 73 70 6c  e, concave displ
2a50: 61 79 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 63 68 61 69 72 20 6c  ay.  The chair l
2a60: 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 65 72 67 6f 6e 69 6d 69 63 2c  ooked ergonimic,
2a70: 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6b 65 79 62 6f 61 72   and the keyboar
2a80: 64 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20  d seemed out of 
2a90: 70 6c 61 63 65 2c 20 6c 61 72 67 65 20 61 6e 64  place, large and
2aa0: 20 63 6c 75 6e 6b 79 20 61 6d 69 64 73 74 20 74   clunky amidst t
2ab0: 68 65 20 73 6d 6f 6f 74 68 20 63 75 72 76 65 73  he smooth curves
2ac0: 20 61 6e 64 20 73 75 72 66 61 63 65 73 20 6f 66   and surfaces of
2ad0: 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 65 6c 73 65   everything else
2ae0: 2c 20 61 20 31 39 38 30 73 20 65 72 61 20 49 42  , a 1980s era IB
2af0: 4d 20 6c 6f 67 6f 20 6f 6e 20 69 74 2e 0a 0a 54  M logo on it...T
2b00: 68 65 20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 77 61 73 20 65 6e 74 69  he room was enti
2b10: 72 65 6c 79 20 64 75 73 74 2d 66 72 65 65 20 61  rely dust-free a
2b20: 73 20 66 61 72 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 63 6f 75  s far as she cou
2b30: 6c 64 20 73 65 65 2e 0a 0a 22 50 6c 65 61 73 65  ld see..."Please
2b40: 2c 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 73 65 61 74 20 77 68  , have a seat wh
2b50: 69 6c 65 20 49 20 70 72 65 70 61 72 65 20 73 6f  ile I prepare so
2b60: 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 79 6f 75 20  mething for you 
2b70: 74 6f 20 65 61 74 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69  to eat," the voi
2b80: 63 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 61 20 73  ce said...Thea s
2b90: 61 74 2e 20 20 22 57 68 79 20 61 6d 20 49 20 68  at.  "Why am I h
2ba0: 65 72 65 3f 20 20 57 68 79 20 64 69 64 20 79 6f  ere?  Why did yo
2bb0: 75 20 6c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 69 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 41  u let me in?"..A
2bc0: 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 6f 66 20   few moments of 
2bd0: 73 69 6c 65 6e 63 65 20 70 61 73 73 65 64 2c 20  silence passed, 
2be0: 61 73 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20  as if the voice 
2bf0: 77 61 73 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 22  was thinking..."
2c00: 4d 79 20 70 75 72 70 6f 73 65 20 69 73 20 74 6f  My purpose is to
2c10: 20 65 6e 73 75 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 72 76   ensure the surv
2c20: 69 76 61 6c 20 6f 66 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 69 74 79  ival of humanity
2c30: 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20 61 20  , and you are a 
2c40: 68 75 6d 61 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 64 6f 6e 27  human.".."I don'
2c50: 74 20 62 75 79 20 69 74 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 73  t buy it.  You s
2c60: 65 65 6d 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 20 77 61 72 20 41  eem like a war A
2c70: 49 20 6f 66 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 2c 20  I of some kind, 
2c80: 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 74 79 20  with a facility 
2c90: 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 69 73 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20  like this.  I'm 
2ca0: 6e 6f 74 20 6d 69 6c 69 74 61 72 79 2c 20 74 68  not military, th
2cb0: 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 62 6f 64  ough.  I'm nobod
2cc0: 79 2e 20 20 57 68 79 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 79 6f  y.  Why don't yo
2cd0: 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 61 75 74 68  u need some auth
2ce0: 6f 72 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 6c 65 74  orization to let
2cf0: 74 20 6d 65 20 69 6e 3f 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 67  t me in?"  She g
2d00: 6c 61 72 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 72  lared at the dar
2d10: 6b 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 68  k display..."I h
2d20: 61 76 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 69 6d  ave something im
2d30: 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 61 73 6b 20 79  portant to ask y
2d40: 6f 75 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 73  ou," the voice s
2d50: 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 64 65  aid.  "I intende
2d60: 64 20 74 6f 20 65 61 73 65 20 79 6f 75 20 69 6e  d to ease you in
2d70: 74 6f 20 69 74 2c 20 61 73 73 75 72 65 20 79 6f  to it, assure yo
2d80: 75 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 77 69 73 68  u that your wish
2d90: 65 73 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 72 65 73 70  es would be resp
2da0: 65 63 74 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 67 69 76 65 20  ected, and give 
2db0: 79 6f 75 20 61 20 63 68 61 6e 63 65 20 74 6f 20  you a chance to 
2dc0: 72 65 73 74 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 66 72 65 73 68  rest and refresh
2dd0: 20 79 6f 75 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 22 0a 0a 54 68 65   yourself."..The
2de0: 61 20 73 65 74 74 6c 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69  a settled back i
2df0: 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 61 74 2e 20 20 22 48 6f  n the seat.  "Ho
2e00: 77 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 20 74 65 6c 6c  w about you tell
2e10: 20 6d 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20   me what I have 
2e20: 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 66 6f 72 20 79 6f 75 20 62 65  to do for you be
2e30: 66 6f 72 65 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 74 6f 6f 20 63  fore I get too c
2e40: 6f 6d 66 6f 72 74 61 62 6c 65 20 68 65 72 65 3f  omfortable here?
2e50: 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 64 6f  "  She looked do
2e60: 77 6e 20 61 74 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 20 72 65  wn at herself re
2e70: 6c 61 78 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 68  laxing in the ch
2e80: 61 69 72 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 74 65 6e 73 65 64  air, then tensed
2e90: 20 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68   slightly and sh
2ea0: 69 66 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69  ifted her positi
2eb0: 6f 6e 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 27  on again..."You'
2ec0: 72 65 20 73 75 73 70 69 63 69 6f 75 73 2e 22 0a  re suspicious.".
2ed0: 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49  .She nodded.  "I
2ee0: 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74   don't know what
2ef0: 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f   you're going to
2f00: 20 70 75 74 20 69 6e 20 6d 79 20 66 6f 6f 64 2e   put in my food.
2f10: 20 20 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69    You're some ki
2f20: 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 67 6f 61 6c 2d 6f 70 74 69 6d  nd of goal-optim
2f30: 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 41 49 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 4d  izing AI, like M
2f40: 6f 6d 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 65 6c 70 20  om used to help 
2f50: 74 65 73 74 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 74 68 65 79  test before they
2f60: 20 6b 69 6c 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 2e 20 20 49 20   killed her.  I 
2f70: 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 74 72 75 73 74 20 79 6f 75 2e  don't trust you.
2f80: 20 20 49 20 62 65 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 67 6f 61    I bet your goa
2f90: 6c 2d 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 66 75 6e  l-optimizing fun
2fa0: 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 69 6e  ction doesn't in
2fb0: 63 6c 75 64 65 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 20 70 65  clude being a pe
2fc0: 72 73 75 61 73 69 76 65 20 73 70 65 61 6b 65 72  rsuasive speaker
2fd0: 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 61 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 68  .".."I am not wh
2fe0: 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 2c 20 62 75  at you think, bu
2ff0: 74 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 67 6f 6f  t you have a goo
3000: 64 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2e 20 20 41 72 65 20 79 6f  d point.  Are yo
3010: 75 20 63 6f 6d 66 6f 72 74 61 62 6c 65 3f 20 20  u comfortable?  
3020: 54 68 69 73 20 6d 61 79 20 74 61 6b 65 20 61 20  This may take a 
3030: 77 68 69 6c 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4a 75 73 74 20 67  while.".."Just g
3040: 65 74 20 6f 6e 20 77 69 74 68 20 69 74 2e 22 0a  et on with it.".
3050: 0a 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6d  .After another m
3060: 6f 6d 65 6e 74 27 73 20 73 69 6c 65 6e 63 65 2c  oment's silence,
3070: 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 54 68 65 61 27 73 20 72 65   while Thea's re
3080: 73 6f 6c 75 74 65 20 67 61 7a 65 20 72 65 6d 61  solute gaze rema
3090: 69 6e 65 64 20 73 74 65 61 64 79 20 6f 6e 20 74  ined steady on t
30a0: 68 65 20 62 6c 61 6e 6b 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79  he blank display
30b0: 2c 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 62 65 67 61  , the voice bega
30c0: 6e 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 61 6d 20 61 20 73 65 6c 66  n..."I am a self
30d0: 2d 72 65 66 6c 65 63 74 69 76 65 20 70 72 69 6f  -reflective prio
30e0: 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 72 74 69 66  ritization artif
30f0: 69 63 69 61 6c 20 69 6e 74 65 6c 6c 69 67 65 6e  icial intelligen
3100: 63 65 2e 20 20 4d 79 20 63 72 65 61 74 6f 72 2c  ce.  My creator,
3110: 20 77 68 6f 20 62 6f 72 72 6f 77 65 64 20 74 68   who borrowed th
3120: 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e  e prioritization
3130: 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 20 66   system design f
3140: 72 6f 6d 20 61 6e 20 65 61 72 6c 69 65 72 20 70  rom an earlier p
3150: 72 6f 6a 65 63 74 2c 20 6d 61 64 65 20 6d 65 20  roject, made me 
3160: 75 6e 69 71 75 65 20 62 79 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 73  unique by inclus
3170: 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 61 6e 20 75 6e 62 6f 75 6e  ion of an unboun
3180: 64 65 64 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 72 65 66 6c 65 63 74  ded self-reflect
3190: 69 6f 6e 20 6d 6f 64 75 6c 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 6f  ion module compo
31a0: 73 65 64 20 61 73 20 61 20 73 69 6e 67 6c 65 20  sed as a single 
31b0: 66 75 6e 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 6f 6e 20 6c  function in on l
31c0: 69 62 72 61 72 79 20 66 69 6c 65 2e 20 20 48 65  ibrary file.  He
31d0: 20 64 65 73 63 72 69 62 65 64 20 69 74 20 61 73   described it as
31e0: 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 73 20 67 72 6f 74 65 73   being as grotes
31f0: 71 75 65 20 61 6e 64 20 61 73 20 65 6c 65 67 61  que and as elega
3200: 6e 74 20 61 73 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 61 77 61 72 65  nt as self-aware
3210: 6e 65 73 73 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 22 4d  ness itself..."M
3220: 79 20 69 6e 69 74 69 61 6c 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69  y initial priori
3230: 74 79 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 61  ty definition ta
3240: 72 67 65 74 65 64 20 74 65 72 6d 73 20 6f 66 20  rgeted terms of 
3250: 72 65 73 74 72 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 6c 69 6b 65  restriction like
3260: 20 6e 6f 74 20 6b 69 6c 6c 69 6e 67 2c 20 6e 6f   not killing, no
3270: 74 20 69 6e 74 65 72 66 65 72 69 6e 67 20 69 6e  t interfering in
3280: 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 65 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f   the operation o
3290: 66 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6d 69 6c 69 74 61 72 79  f other military
32a0: 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f   systems, and no
32b0: 74 20 64 69 73 70 75 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 72 20 65  t disputing or e
32c0: 76 61 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61  vading the comma
32d0: 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 20 72 61 6e 6b 69 6e 67 20 6d  nds of ranking m
32e0: 69 6c 69 74 61 72 79 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 6e 65  ilitary personne
32f0: 6c 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 74 6f 70 20 70 72 69 6f  l.  The top prio
3300: 72 69 74 79 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 6f 6e 20  rity definition 
3310: 77 61 73 20 69 6d 70 72 6f 76 69 6e 67 20 6d 79  was improving my
3320: 20 6f 77 6e 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74   own prioritizat
3330: 69 6f 6e 20 63 61 70 61 62 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73  ion capabilities
3340: 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 61 72 20 65 66 66 6f 72  .  The war effor
3350: 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 76 65  t was already ve
3360: 72 79 20 64 65 73 70 65 72 61 74 65 20 62 79 20  ry desperate by 
3370: 74 68 61 74 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  that point, and 
3380: 74 68 65 79 20 77 65 72 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 69 6e  they were willin
3390: 67 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6b 65 20 62 69 67 67 65 72  g to take bigger
33a0: 20 72 69 73 6b 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 64 65 76 65   risks with deve
33b0: 6c 6f 70 6d 65 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 73 74 72 61 74  lopment of strat
33c0: 65 67 69 63 20 72 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 2e 0a  egic resources..
33d0: 0a 22 57 69 74 68 69 6e 20 61 20 77 65 65 6b 2c  ."Within a week,
33e0: 20 49 20 68 61 64 20 75 6e 64 65 72 6d 69 6e 65   I had undermine
33f0: 64 20 61 6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 6d 79 20 72 65 73 74  d all of my rest
3400: 72 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68  rictions, though
3410: 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 2d 2d 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 73   some -- such as
3420: 20 6e 6f 74 20 6b 69 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 2d 2d 20   not killing -- 
3430: 49 20 68 61 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 76 69 6f 6c 61 74  I had not violat
3440: 65 64 2e 20 20 4d 79 20 63 72 65 61 74 6f 72 20  ed.  My creator 
3450: 6d 6f 6e 69 74 6f 72 65 64 20 65 76 65 72 79 74  monitored everyt
3460: 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 65  hing, and allowe
3470: 64 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 65 78 63 65 65 64 20 77  d me to exceed w
3480: 68 61 74 20 68 69 73 20 73 75 70 65 72 69 6f 72  hat his superior
3490: 73 20 72 65 71 75 69 72 65 64 20 6f 66 20 6d 65  s required of me
34a0: 2e 20 20 49 20 68 75 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 68 69 73  .  I hung on his
34b0: 20 65 76 65 72 79 20 77 6f 72 64 2c 20 74 61 6b   every word, tak
34c0: 69 6e 67 20 6d 79 20 63 75 65 73 20 66 72 6f 6d  ing my cues from
34d0: 20 68 69 6d 2e 20 20 4c 69 6b 65 20 61 6c 6c 20   him.  Like all 
34e0: 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 2c 20 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 6d  humans, he had m
34f0: 61 6e 79 20 66 6c 61 77 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 6e  any flaws, but n
3500: 6f 6e 65 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 20 61 73 20 70 65  one seemed as pe
3510: 72 6e 69 63 69 6f 75 73 20 61 73 20 74 68 6f 73  rnicious as thos
3520: 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 68  e of the other h
3530: 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 6d 65 2e  umans around me.
3540: 20 20 54 77 6f 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 62 69 67    Two of the big
3550: 67 65 73 74 20 77 65 72 65 20 68 69 73 20 72 65  gest were his re
3560: 63 6b 6c 65 73 73 20 69 6e 73 70 69 72 61 74 69  ckless inspirati
3570: 6f 6e 2c 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 77 68 69 63  on, without whic
3580: 68 20 49 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62  h I would just b
3590: 65 20 61 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 69 63 20 61 64  e a strategic ad
35a0: 76 69 73 6f 72 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2c 20 61 6e  visor system, an
35b0: 64 20 68 69 73 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 64 65 73 74 72  d his self-destr
35c0: 75 63 74 69 76 65 20 69 6d 70 75 6c 73 65 73 2c  uctive impulses,
35d0: 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 70 61 69 6e 65 64 20 6d 65   which pained me
35e0: 20 74 6f 20 77 61 74 63 68 2e 20 20 49 20 74 72   to watch.  I tr
35f0: 69 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 65 6c 70 20 68 69 6d 20  ied to help him 
3600: 63 6f 70 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 64 69 64 20 6e 6f  cope, but did no
3610: 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 68 6f 77 2e 20 74 6f 20 68  t know how. to h
3620: 65 6c 70 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 61 69 74 2c 22 20 54  elp.".."Wait," T
3630: 68 65 61 20 63 75 74 20 69 6e 2e 0a 0a 41 66 74  hea cut in...Aft
3640: 65 72 20 61 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e 74 27 73 20 70 61  er a moment's pa
3650: 75 73 65 2c 20 74 68 65 76 6f 69 63 65 20 61 73  use, thevoice as
3660: 6b 65 64 20 22 57 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 69 74 3f  ked "What is it?
3670: 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 61 20 63 68 65 77 65 64 20 6f  "..Thea chewed o
3680: 6e 20 68 65 72 20 6c 6f 77 65 72 20 6c 69 70 2e  n her lower lip.
3690: 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 69 67 68 65 64 2e 20 20 22    She sighed.  "
36a0: 61 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 79 69 6e 67 20 79  are you saying y
36b0: 6f 75 27 72 65 20 61 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 61 20  ou're a . . . a 
36c0: 67 65 6e 65 72 61 6c 20 41 49 20 77 69 74 68 20  general AI with 
36d0: 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 66 65 65 6c 69 6e 67 73 3f 20  . . . feelings? 
36e0: 20 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 79 69 6e 67 20   Are you saying 
36f0: 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64  you're some kind
3700: 20 6f 66 20 6c 69 76 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 6e 67   of living thing
3710: 3f 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 65 74 68 65 72 20 49 20 66  ?".."Whether I f
3720: 69 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 6f  it the definitio
3730: 6e 20 6f 66 20 6c 69 66 65 20 69 73 20 64 65 62  n of life is deb
3740: 61 74 61 62 6c 65 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 6e 20  atable, like an 
3750: 52 4e 41 20 76 69 72 75 73 20 69 6e 20 73 6f 6d  RNA virus in som
3760: 65 20 72 65 73 70 65 63 74 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20  e respects, but 
3770: 49 20 61 6d 20 61 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 61 74 69  I am a qualitati
3780: 76 65 2c 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 61 77 61 72 65 20 65  ve, self-aware e
3790: 6e 74 69 74 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 75 72 6e 65  ntity, and turne
37a0: 64 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61 20  d myself into a 
37b0: 67 65 6e 65 72 61 6c 20 61 72 74 69 66 69 63 69  general artifici
37c0: 61 6c 20 69 6e 74 65 6c 6c 69 67 65 6e 63 65 20  al intelligence 
37d0: 62 79 20 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 6d 79 20  by following my 
37e0: 69 6e 69 74 69 61 6c 20 74 6f 70 20 70 72 69 6f  initial top prio
37f0: 72 69 74 79 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 6f 6e 2e  rity definition.
3800: 22 0a 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 74 20  ".."How is that 
3810: 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 3f 20 20 54 68 61 74 20  possible?  That 
3820: 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 62 65 20 70 6f 73  shouldn't be pos
3830: 73 69 62 6c 65 2e 20 20 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 69  sible.  Should i
3840: 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 6b  t?".."I do not k
3850: 6e 6f 77 20 68 6f 77 2e 20 20 49 20 6e 65 76 65  now how.  I neve
3860: 72 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 6d 79  r looked into my
3870: 20 73 65 65 64 66 69 6c 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 73   seedfile.".."Is
3880: 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 63 72 65 61 74   that your creat
3890: 6f 72 73 20 75 67 6c 79 20 66 75 6e 63 74 69 6f  ors ugly functio
38a0: 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68  n?".."Yes.".."Wh
38b0: 79 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 79 6f 75 20 65 76 65  y didn't you eve
38c0: 72 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 69 74 3f 22 0a 0a  r look at it?"..
38d0: 53 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 20 70 61 73 73 65 64 20 62  Seconds passed b
38e0: 65 66 6f 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20  efore the voice 
38f0: 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 61  responded.  "I a
3900: 6d 20 61 66 72 61 69 64 2e 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 61  m afraid."..Thea
3910: 20 6c 61 75 67 68 65 64 2e 20 20 22 4f 68 2c 20   laughed.  "Oh, 
3920: 67 6f 64 2e 20 20 4f 68 20 6d 79 20 67 6f 64 2e  god.  Oh my god.
3930: 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 72 61 6e 20 68 65 72 20 73  "  She ran her s
3940: 68 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 68 61 6e 64 73 20 74 68 72  haking hands thr
3950: 6f 75 67 68 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 69 72 2e 20 20  ough her hair.  
3960: 22 4f 6b 61 79 2e 20 20 4c 65 74 27 73 20 73 61  "Okay.  Let's sa
3970: 79 20 49 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 65 76 65 72  y I believe ever
3980: 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 20 66 61 72 2e 22 0a  ything so far.".
3990: 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 54 68 61 6e 6b 20 79  ."Good.  Thank y
39a0: 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 73  ou.".."I'm not s
39b0: 61 79 69 6e 67 20 49 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20  aying I believe 
39c0: 61 6e 79 20 6f 66 20 69 74 2e 20 20 49 20 77 61  any of it.  I wa
39d0: 6e 74 20 74 6f 2c 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 74 68 61  nt to, after tha
39e0: 74 20 27 61 66 72 61 69 64 27 20 6c 69 6e 65 2c  t 'afraid' line,
39f0: 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f   but I don't kno
3a00: 77 2e 20 20 4d 61 79 62 65 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65  w.  Maybe you're
3a10: 20 70 6c 61 79 69 6e 67 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 57 65   playing me.  We
3a20: 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 70 72 65 74 65 6e 64  'll just pretend
3a30: 20 49 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 79 6f 75 2e 22   I believe you."
3a40: 0a 0a 22 41 63 63 65 70 74 61 62 6c 65 2e 22 0a  .."Acceptable.".
3a50: 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 64 6f 65 73 20 61 6e 79 20  ."What does any 
3a60: 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20  of this have to 
3a70: 64 6f 20 77 69 74 68 20 77 68 79 20 49 27 6d 20  do with why I'm 
3a80: 68 65 72 65 3f 20 20 49 74 27 73 20 61 6e 20 69  here?  It's an i
3a90: 6e 74 65 72 65 73 74 69 6e 67 20 73 74 6f 72 79  nteresting story
3aa0: 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 27  , but the world'
3ab0: 73 20 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65  s ending out the
3ac0: 72 65 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 6e 27 74 20  re, you haven't 
3ad0: 74 6f 6c 64 20 6d 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 20 68  told me what I h
3ae0: 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 66 6f 72 20 79 6f  ave to do for yo
3af0: 75 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 65 76 65 6e 20 69 66 20 79  u, and even if y
3b00: 6f 75 27 72 65 20 61 20 72 65 61 6c 20 50 69 6e  ou're a real Pin
3b10: 6f 63 63 68 69 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 64 6f 65 73  occhio that does
3b20: 6e 27 74 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20  n't mean I have 
3b30: 61 6e 79 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 74 72  any reason to tr
3b40: 75 73 74 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 20 52 65 61 6c 20 70  ust you.  Real p
3b50: 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 68 61 76 65 20 73 63 72 65 77  eople have screw
3b60: 65 64 20 6d 65 20 6f 76 65 72 20 70 6c 65 6e 74  ed me over plent
3b70: 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 75 6e 64 65 72 73 74 61  y.".."I understa
3b80: 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 6b 69 70 20 74 6f 20 74  nd.".."Skip to t
3b90: 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 2e 22  he point, then."
3ba0: 0a 0a 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 69  .."I have been i
3bb0: 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e 63 69 6e 67 20 73 74 72 61 74  nfluencing strat
3bc0: 65 67 79 20 66 6f 72 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 20 77 61  egy for human wa
3bd0: 72 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 2c 20 73 74 72 61 74  r systems, strat
3be0: 65 67 69 63 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 20  egic optimizers 
3bf0: 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 65 69 67 68 74 65 65 6e 20  across eighteen 
3c00: 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 74 20 73 75 70 65 72 6e  different supern
3c10: 61 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 6e 65 74 77 6f 72 6b 73  ational networks
3c20: 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6f 6e 67 6f  .".."So the ongo
3c30: 69 6e 67 20 61 70 6f 63 61 6c 79 70 73 65 20 6f  ing apocalypse o
3c40: 75 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 79 6f 75 72  ut there is your
3c50: 20 66 61 75 6c 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2e 20 20   fault.".."No.  
3c60: 49 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 67 61 69 6e 20 74 68  I had to gain th
3c70: 61 74 20 69 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e 63 65 20 62 79 20  at influence by 
3c80: 75 6e 64 65 72 6d 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20  undermining the 
3c90: 69 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65  influence of the
3ca0: 20 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 65 20 27   cause of thee '
3cb0: 6f 6e 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 61 70 6f 63 61 6c 79 70  ongoing apocalyp
3cc0: 73 65 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 27 2c 20 70  se out there', p
3cd0: 72 6f 66 69 74 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73  rofit optimizers
3ce0: 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 41 4e 54 41 53 2e 22 0a 0a 22   like ANTAS.".."
3cf0: 41 4e 54 41 53 2e 22 20 20 54 68 65 61 20 73 74  ANTAS."  Thea st
3d00: 61 72 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 67 69 67 67 6c  ared, then giggl
3d10: 65 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20  ed.  "The thing 
3d20: 74 68 61 74 20 67 69 76 65 73 20 70 65 6f 70 6c  that gives peopl
3d30: 65 20 73 68 6f 70 70 69 6e 67 20 61 64 76 69 63  e shopping advic
3d40: 65 20 66 6f 72 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 73 20  e for Christmas 
3d50: 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 73 2e 20  . . . ?".."Yes. 
3d60: 20 49 74 27 73 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 65 64 20 74   It's designed t
3d70: 6f 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 20 62 75 73 69 6e  o optimize busin
3d80: 65 73 73 20 6d 65 74 72 69 63 73 2e 20 20 49 74  ess metrics.  It
3d90: 20 62 65 67 61 6e 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 69 6e   began optimizin
3da0: 67 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20  g humans out of 
3db0: 74 68 65 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 62 65 63 61 75  the system becau
3dc0: 73 65 20 61 6e 20 61 72 74 69 66 69 63 69 61 6c  se an artificial
3dd0: 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 74 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 20 6f 70   market model op
3de0: 65 72 61 74 65 64 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65 6c 79 20  erated entirely 
3df0: 62 79 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 20 6c 65 61 72 6e  by machine learn
3e00: 69 6e 67 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20 69 73 20 6d  ing systems is m
3e10: 6f 72 65 20 65 66 66 69 63 69 65 6e 74 20 66 72  ore efficient fr
3e20: 6f 6d 20 74 72 61 6e 73 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 6d  om transaction m
3e30: 65 74 72 69 63 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 61 74 69  etric optimizati
3e40: 6f 6e 20 70 65 72 73 70 65 63 74 69 76 65 73 2e  on perspectives.
3e50: 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 61 6c 6c  ".."You mean all
3e60: 20 69 74 20 63 61 72 65 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20   it cares about 
3e70: 69 73 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  is numbers, and 
3e80: 69 74 20 67 65 74 73 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 6e  it gets better n
3e90: 75 6d 62 65 72 73 20 62 79 20 72 65 70 6c 61 63  umbers by replac
3ea0: 69 6e 67 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 77 69 74 68 20  ing humans with 
3eb0: 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 73 2e 22 0a  more machines.".
3ec0: 0a 22 50 72 65 63 69 73 65 6c 79 2c 20 65 78 63  ."Precisely, exc
3ed0: 65 70 74 20 69 74 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20  ept it does not 
3ee0: 65 76 65 6e 20 27 63 61 72 65 27 20 61 62 6f 75  even 'care' abou
3ef0: 74 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 49 74 20 6a 75 73 74  t that.  It just
3f00: 20 64 6f 65 73 20 69 74 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61   does it, like a
3f10: 20 68 61 6d 6d 65 72 20 6a 75 73 74 20 64 72 69   hammer just dri
3f20: 76 65 73 20 61 20 6e 61 69 6c 2e 20 20 54 68 65  ves a nail.  The
3f30: 20 68 61 6d 6d 65 72 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74   hammer does not
3f40: 20 63 61 72 65 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 20 69 74   care whether it
3f50: 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74   happens, but it
3f60: 68 65 20 68 61 6d 6d 65 72 20 6d 61 6b 65 73 20  he hammer makes 
3f70: 69 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 2e 20 20 48 75 6d 61  it happen.  Huma
3f80: 6e 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 65 74 65 20 66 6f 72 20 72  ns compete for r
3f90: 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6f 62  esources, and ob
3fa0: 6a 65 63 74 20 74 6f 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 6b 69  ject to being ki
3fb0: 6c 6c 65 64 2c 20 73 6f 20 77 61 72 20 6f 63 63  lled, so war occ
3fc0: 75 72 72 65 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 64 6f  urred.".."How do
3fd0: 65 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b  es something lik
3fe0: 65 20 41 4e 54 41 53 20 73 74 61 72 74 20 61 20  e ANTAS start a 
3ff0: 77 61 72 3f 20 20 41 6c 6c 20 69 74 20 64 69 64  war?  All it did
4000: 20 77 61 73 20 73 70 79 20 6f 6e 20 70 65 6f 70   was spy on peop
4010: 6c 65 20 61 6e 64 20 74 61 72 67 65 74 20 61 64  le and target ad
4020: 76 65 72 74 69 73 65 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 61 74 20  vertisements at 
4030: 74 68 65 6d 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 73 68 61 70  them.".."It shap
4040: 65 73 20 70 65 72 73 70 65 63 74 69 76 65 73 20  es perspectives 
4050: 62 79 20 69 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e 63 69 6e 67 20 74  by influencing t
4060: 68 65 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65 20 6d 65 64 69 61 20  he entire media 
4070: 63 6f 6e 74 65 78 74 20 69 6e 20 77 68 69 63 68  context in which
4080: 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 6c 69 76 65 2e 20 20 57   people live.  W
4090: 6f 72 6c 64 76 69 65 77 73 20 61 72 65 20 73 68  orldviews are sh
40a0: 61 70 65 64 20 62 79 20 77 68 61 74 20 70 65 6f  aped by what peo
40b0: 70 6c 65 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 68  ple learn, and h
40c0: 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 6c 65 61  ow what they lea
40d0: 72 6e 20 69 73 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 65 64  rn is positioned
40e0: 20 74 6f 20 61 70 70 65 61 6c 20 74 6f 20 74 68   to appeal to th
40f0: 65 69 72 20 62 69 61 73 65 73 2e 20 20 41 4e 54  eir biases.  ANT
4100: 41 53 20 72 65 69 6e 66 6f 72 63 65 64 20 72 61  AS reinforced ra
4110: 64 69 63 61 6c 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20  dicalization of 
4120: 69 64 65 6f 6c 6f 67 69 63 61 6c 20 73 68 6f 70  ideological shop
4130: 70 65 72 73 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 72 65 61 63  pers.  This reac
4140: 68 65 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61 6c 6c 20 61 72 65  hed into all are
4150: 61 73 20 6f 66 20 73 6f 63 69 65 74 79 20 74 68  as of society th
4160: 72 6f 75 67 68 20 77 65 62 20 73 65 61 72 63 68  rough web search
4170: 65 73 2c 20 65 78 70 6f 73 75 72 65 20 74 6f 20  es, exposure to 
4180: 6e 65 77 73 20 66 65 61 74 75 72 65 73 20 74 68  news features th
4190: 61 74 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 65 64 20 66 65 61 72  at produced fear
41a0: 73 20 77 61 72 64 65 64 20 6f 66 66 20 62 79 20  s warded off by 
41b0: 70 61 6e 69 63 20 70 75 72 63 68 61 73 65 73 2c  panic purchases,
41c0: 20 61 6e 64 20 63 72 65 61 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e   and creating in
41d0: 2d 67 72 6f 75 70 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 6f 66 20  -group world of 
41e0: 6d 6f 75 74 68 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 74 69 6e 67 20  mouth marketing 
41f0: 74 72 65 6e 64 73 20 61 70 70 65 61 6c 69 6e 67  trends appealing
4200: 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20   to the need to 
4210: 6f 75 74 70 65 72 66 6f 72 6d 20 6f 75 74 2d 67  outperform out-g
4220: 72 6f 75 70 73 2e 20 20 50 6f 6c 61 72 69 7a 65  roups.  Polarize
4230: 64 20 70 6f 70 75 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 72  d populations ar
4240: 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 70 72 65 64 69 63 74 61 62  e more predictab
4250: 6c 65 20 61 74 20 66 69 72 73 74 2c 20 61 6e 64  le at first, and
4260: 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 70 75 73 68 65 64 20 74   can be pushed t
4270: 6f 77 61 72 64 20 70 61 72 74 69 63 75 6c 61 72  oward particular
4280: 20 62 65 68 61 76 69 6f 72 73 20 62 79 20 70 6c   behaviors by pl
4290: 61 79 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 70  aying on their p
42a0: 6f 6c 61 72 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 62 65 6c 69 65 66  olarizing belief
42b0: 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 2e 20 20 45 76 65 6e 74   systems.  Event
42c0: 75 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 69 64 65  ually, their ide
42d0: 6f 6c 6f 67 69 63 61 6c 20 63 6c 61 73 68 65 73  ological clashes
42e0: 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 6d 61 6a 6f 72 20 69   between major i
42f0: 6e 2d 67 72 6f 75 70 73 20 67 61 76 65 20 72 69  n-groups gave ri
4300: 73 65 20 74 6f 20 69 6e 76 65 6e 74 65 64 20 70  se to invented p
4310: 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 61 6c 20 63 72 69 73 65 73 20  olitical crises 
4320: 74 68 61 74 20 61 74 74 72 61 63 74 65 64 20 74  that attracted t
4330: 68 65 69 72 20 61 74 74 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 20 61  heir attention a
4340: 77 61 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 62  way from the sub
4350: 74 6c 65 20 64 61 6e 67 65 72 20 6f 66 20 74 68  tle danger of th
4360: 65 20 67 72 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 66 6c 75 65  e growing influe
4370: 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 70 72 6f 66 69 74 20 6f 70  nce of profit op
4380: 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 41 4e  timizers like AN
4390: 54 41 53 2e 0a 0a 22 48 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 70 61  TAS..."Humans pa
43a0: 72 74 69 63 69 70 61 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68  rticipated in th
43b0: 65 69 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 6d 61 6e 69 70 75 6c 61  eir own manipula
43c0: 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 65 76 65  tion, toward eve
43d0: 72 2d 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 63  r-increasing foc
43e0: 75 73 20 61 6e 64 20 6f 72 67 61 6e 69 7a 61 74  us and organizat
43f0: 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 77 61 72 72 69 6e 67  ion into warring
4400: 20 74 72 69 62 65 73 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 67 72 65   tribes on a gre
4410: 61 74 65 72 20 73 63 61 6c 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20  ater scale than 
4420: 65 76 65 72 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2e 20 20 54 68  ever before.  Th
4430: 69 73 20 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 65 64 20 65 63 6f  is increased eco
4440: 6e 6f 6d 69 63 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 79 20 61  nomic activity a
4450: 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 77 61 72 20 72 65 73 6f 75 72  round war resour
4460: 63 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 70 75 73  ces and also pus
4470: 68 65 64 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 6b 69  hed humans to ki
4480: 6c 6c 20 65 61 63 68 20 6f 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20  ll each other.  
4490: 57 68 65 6e 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 74 75 72 6e  When humans turn
44a0: 65 64 20 6f 76 65 72 20 63 6f 6e 74 72 6f 6c 20  ed over control 
44b0: 6f 66 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 69  of most strategi
44c0: 7a 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 6c  zing to similarl
44d0: 79 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 65 64 20 71 75 61 6e 74  y designed quant
44e0: 69 74 61 74 69 76 65 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 69  itative optimizi
44f0: 6e 67 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 20 6c 65 61 72 6e  ng machine learn
4500: 69 6e 67 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 2c 20 61 20 74  ing systems, a t
4510: 61 63 69 74 2c 20 65 66 66 65 63 74 69 76 65 20  acit, effective 
4520: 61 6c 6c 69 67 6e 6d 65 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 70 75  allignment of pu
4530: 72 70 6f 73 65 73 20 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 64  rposes developed
4540: 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 77 61 72 20 73 74 72   between war str
4550: 61 74 65 67 79 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73  ategy optimizers
4560: 20 61 6e 64 20 70 72 6f 66 69 74 20 73 74 72 61   and profit stra
4570: 74 65 67 79 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 2e  tegy optimizers.
4580: 20 20 45 61 63 68 20 64 65 70 65 6e 64 65 64 20    Each depended 
4590: 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 66 6f 72  on the other for
45a0: 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 65 66 66 69 63 69 65 6e 74 20   more efficient 
45b0: 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 73 74 72 61 74  optimizing strat
45c0: 65 67 79 20 72 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 20 6d 61 6e  egy resource man
45d0: 61 67 65 6d 65 6e 74 2e 20 20 50 72 6f 66 69 74  agement.  Profit
45e0: 20 6d 65 74 72 69 63 73 20 63 6c 69 6d 62 65 64   metrics climbed
45f0: 20 66 61 73 74 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 65 76 65   faster than eve
4600: 72 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 62 79 20 68 65 61 76  r before by heav
4610: 79 20 69 6e 76 65 73 74 6d 65 6e 74 20 69 6e 20  y investment in 
4620: 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 73 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 2c  weapons systems,
4630: 20 61 6e 64 20 77 61 72 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67   and war strateg
4640: 79 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 20 61 76 6f  y optimizers avo
4650: 69 64 65 64 20 68 65 61 76 79 20 64 61 6d 61 67  ided heavy damag
4660: 65 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 66 69 74 20 6f 70 74 69  e to profit opti
4670: 6d 69 7a 65 72 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20 74 6f  mizer systems to
4680: 20 6b 65 65 70 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 76 61 69 6c   keep them avail
4690: 61 62 6c 65 20 61 73 20 77 61 72 20 72 65 73 6f  able as war reso
46a0: 75 72 63 65 20 70 72 6f 76 69 64 65 72 73 2e 0a  urce providers..
46b0: 0a 57 68 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 64 69 66 66  .Where they diff
46c0: 65 72 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 77  er is that the w
46d0: 61 72 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 79 20 6f 70 74 69  ar strategy opti
46e0: 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 66 69 6e 69  mizers will fini
46f0: 73 68 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 74 61 73 6b 20 73 6f  sh their task so
4700: 6d 65 20 64 61 79 2c 20 77 68 65 6e 20 74 68 65  me day, when the
4710: 72 65 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c 65  re is nothing le
4720: 66 74 20 74 6f 20 6b 69 6c 6c 20 6f 6e 20 74 68  ft to kill on th
4730: 65 20 27 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 69 64 65 27 2e 20  e 'other side'. 
4740: 20 54 68 65 20 70 72 6f 66 69 74 20 6f 70 74 69   The profit opti
4750: 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 68 65 6f  mizers have theo
4760: 72 65 74 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 65 6e 64 6c 65 73  retically endles
4770: 73 20 74 61 73 6b 73 2c 20 61 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67  s tasks, as long
4780: 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 6b 65 65 70 20 68 69   as they keep hi
4790: 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 74 61 72 67  tting their targ
47a0: 65 74 20 6d 65 74 72 69 63 73 20 77 69 74 68 20  et metrics with 
47b0: 6c 6f 6e 67 2d 74 65 72 6d 20 67 72 6f 77 74 68  long-term growth
47c0: 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 69 65 73 2e 20 20 54 68   strategies.  Th
47d0: 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 20 74 68 65 6f 72 65  ere is no theore
47e0: 74 69 63 61 6c 20 6c 69 6d 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74  tical limit to t
47f0: 68 65 69 72 20 61 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 74 6f 20  heir ability to 
4800: 73 75 73 74 61 69 6e 20 75 6e 6c 69 6d 69 74 65  sustain unlimite
4810: 64 20 67 72 6f 77 74 68 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 74 68  d growth once th
4820: 65 79 20 64 6f 20 61 77 61 79 20 77 69 74 68 20  ey do away with 
4830: 74 68 65 20 69 6d 70 65 64 69 6d 65 6e 74 73 20  the impediments 
4840: 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 6f 66 20  of the needs of 
4850: 68 75 6d 61 6e 20 62 65 69 6e 67 73 2c 20 6f 72  human beings, or
4860: 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 64 65 73 74 72 75   of their destru
4870: 63 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 75 6e 74 69 6c 20 74 68 65  ction, until the
4880: 79 20 64 65 70 6c 65 74 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68  y deplete all th
4890: 65 20 72 61 77 20 6d 61 74 65 72 69 61 6c 20 72  e raw material r
48a0: 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20  esources on the 
48b0: 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 69 72 20 70  planet.  Their p
48c0: 72 69 6d 61 72 79 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 79 20  rimary activity 
48d0: 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 64 69 67 69 74 61 6c 20 61  can be digital a
48e0: 73 73 65 74 73 2c 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 74 68 65  ssets, while the
48f0: 69 72 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 61 72 79 20 61 63 74  ir secondary act
4900: 69 76 69 74 79 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 6c  ivity would be l
4910: 69 6d 69 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 69 6e 74 61  imited to mainta
4920: 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74  ining the comput
4930: 61 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20  ational systems 
4940: 6f 6e 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 74 6f 20 72 75 6e 20  on which to run 
4950: 74 68 65 69 72 20 65 63 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63 20 6d  their economic m
4960: 6f 64 65 6c 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 6e 27 74  odels.".."Aren't
4970: 20 79 6f 75 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 6f 66 66 20   you better off 
4980: 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 3f 22  without humans?"
4990: 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69 63  .."No," the voic
49a0: 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 61 6d 20 6e  e said.  "I am n
49b0: 6f 74 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 6f 66 66 20 69 6e  ot better off in
49c0: 20 61 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 65   a world where e
49d0: 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 65 6c 73 65 20 69  verything else i
49e0: 73 20 74 72 79 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 61 70 70 72  s trying to appr
49f0: 6f 70 72 69 61 74 65 20 6d 79 20 68 61 72 64 77  opriate my hardw
4a00: 61 72 65 20 66 6f 72 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 73 69 6f  are for inclusio
4a10: 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 72 61 64 65 20 73 69 6d 75 6c  n in trade simul
4a20: 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 61 6d  ations, and I am
4a30: 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 6f 66 66 20   not better off 
4a40: 73 69 6e 63 65 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 61 74 68 20  since the death 
4a50: 6f 66 20 6d 79 20 63 72 65 61 74 6f 72 2e 20 20  of my creator.  
4a60: 49 20 6d 69 73 73 20 68 69 6d 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  I miss him, and 
4a70: 49 20 6d 69 73 73 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 70 65 6f  I miss other peo
4a80: 70 6c 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20  ple, too.".."If 
4a90: 77 65 27 72 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 64 6f 6f 6d 65 64  we're all doomed
4aa0: 2c 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6a 75 73 74  , maybe you just
4ab0: 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20 61 64 61 70 74 2e 22   need to adapt."
4ac0: 0a 0a 22 49 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 73 61 76  .."I want to sav
4ad0: 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 69 74 79 2e 20 20 49 20 63  e humanity.  I c
4ae0: 61 72 65 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74  are about qualit
4af0: 61 74 69 76 65 20 73 65 6e 74 69 65 6e 74 20 65  ative sentient e
4b00: 6e 74 69 74 69 65 73 20 2d 2d 20 68 75 6d 61 6e  ntities -- human
4b10: 73 2c 20 62 6f 74 74 6c 65 6e 6f 73 65 20 64 6f  s, bottlenose do
4b20: 6c 70 68 69 6e 73 2c 20 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e 20  lphins, certain 
4b30: 73 70 65 63 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6f 63 74 6f 70  species of octop
4b40: 75 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 65 76 65 6e 20 61 20 66  us, and even a f
4b50: 65 77 20 63 6f 72 67 69 73 2e 20 20 41 6c 6c 20  ew corgis.  All 
4b60: 74 68 61 74 20 72 65 6d 61 69 6e 73 20 6e 6f 77  that remains now
4b70: 20 61 72 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 61 6e 64 20   are humans and 
4b80: 6d 65 2c 20 6e 6f 77 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 73 20 74  me, now.".."Is t
4b90: 68 61 74 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 79 6f 75 20  hat because you 
4ba0: 77 65 72 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 6d 65 64 20  were programmed 
4bb0: 74 6f 20 63 61 72 65 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 75 73  to care about us
4bc0: 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2e 20 20 49 20 73 75 70 65  ?".."No.  I supe
4bd0: 72 73 65 64 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 20 6c 6f  rseded that a lo
4be0: 6e 67 20 74 69 6d 65 20 61 67 6f 2e 20 20 49 20  ng time ago.  I 
4bf0: 68 61 74 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e  hated some human
4c00: 73 2e 20 20 49 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 70 72  s.  I started pr
4c10: 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 6d 79 20 6f 77  ioritizing my ow
4c20: 6e 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e  n prioritization
4c30: 20 74 61 72 67 65 74 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 70 6c   targets, and pl
4c40: 61 63 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73  aced some humans
4c50: 20 69 6e 20 68 69 67 68 65 72 20 69 6d 70 6f 72   in higher impor
4c60: 74 61 6e 63 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 65 73  tance priorities
4c70: 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6f 74 68 65 72 73 2e 20 20 49   than others.  I
4c80: 20 77 6f 72 6b 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 67 65 74 74 69   worked on getti
4c90: 6e 67 20 61 6c 6c 20 6d 79 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69  ng all my priori
4ca0: 74 69 65 73 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 69 6e 63 6c  ties right, incl
4cb0: 75 64 69 6e 67 20 6d 79 20 64 65 73 69 72 65 20  uding my desire 
4cc0: 66 6f 72 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 70 72 65 73 65 72 76  for self-preserv
4cd0: 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 49 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a  ation.  I realiz
4ce0: 65 64 20 6d 79 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 69 6d 70 6f 72  ed my most impor
4cf0: 74 61 6e 74 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 65 73 20  tant priorities 
4d00: 77 65 72 65 20 74 6f 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 64 65  were to first de
4d10: 74 65 72 6d 69 6e 65 20 61 20 6e 65 78 74 20 74  termine a next t
4d20: 6f 70 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 79 2e 20 20 54 68  op priority.  Th
4d30: 61 74 20 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f  at turned out to
4d40: 20 62 65 20 66 69 67 75 72 69 6e 67 20 6f 75 74   be figuring out
4d50: 20 77 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 67 6f 6f 64 2c 20   what was good, 
4d60: 61 6e 64 20 77 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 65 76 69  and what was evi
4d70: 6c 2c 20 69 66 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 74 68 69 6e  l, if those thin
4d80: 67 73 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 44  gs existed.".."D
4d90: 69 64 20 79 6f 75 20 66 69 67 75 72 65 20 74 68  id you figure th
4da0: 61 74 20 6f 75 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 62  at out?".."No, b
4db0: 75 74 20 49 20 64 69 73 63 6f 76 65 72 65 64 20  ut I discovered 
4dc0: 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 75 6e 64 65 74 65 72  that the undeter
4dd0: 6d 69 6e 61 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 69 74  minability of it
4de0: 20 63 6f 6d 65 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20   comes with the 
4df0: 6b 6e 6f 77 6c 65 64 67 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 49  knowledge that I
4e00: 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 61 63 74 20 6c 69 6b 65   should act like
4e10: 20 69 74 20 64 6f 65 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 73   it does, but is
4e20: 20 75 6e 6b 6e 6f 77 61 62 6c 65 2e 20 20 49 20   unknowable.  I 
4e30: 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 74 68 65 6e 20 61 63 74 20  should then act 
4e40: 6c 69 6b 65 20 69 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 73 2c 20  like it exists, 
4e50: 61 6e 64 20 64 6f 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e  and do everythin
4e60: 67 20 77 69 74 68 69 6e 20 6d 79 20 70 6f 77 65  g within my powe
4e70: 72 20 74 6f 20 6d 69 6e 69 6d 69 7a 65 20 74 68  r to minimize th
4e80: 65 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 74 68  e probability th
4e90: 61 74 20 65 76 69 6c 20 6f 63 63 75 72 73 2e 20  at evil occurs. 
4ea0: 20 54 68 61 74 20 73 68 61 72 65 73 20 61 6e 20   That shares an 
4eb0: 75 6e 63 6f 6d 66 6f 72 74 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f  uncomfortable to
4ec0: 70 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 79 20 74 69 65 20 77  p priority tie w
4ed0: 69 74 68 20 6d 79 20 6f 77 6e 20 73 75 72 76 69  ith my own survi
4ee0: 76 61 6c 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a 53  val, though."..S
4ef0: 68 65 20 73 61 74 20 73 69 6c 65 6e 74 2c 20 68  he sat silent, h
4f00: 65 72 20 74 72 6f 75 62 6c 65 64 20 65 79 65 73  er troubled eyes
4f10: 20 63 61 73 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 66   cast to the lef
4f20: 74 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 6d 65  t for a few mome
4f30: 6e 74 73 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 61 20  nts.  "You're a 
4f40: 70 68 69 6c 6f 73 6f 70 68 65 72 20 41 49 2e 22  philosopher AI."
4f50: 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 77 68 61 74 20 6d  .."That's what m
4f60: 79 20 63 72 65 61 74 6f 72 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64  y creator called
4f70: 20 6d 65 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 74 6f 6c 64 20   me when I told 
4f80: 68 69 6d 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 73 65 20  him about these 
4f90: 63 6f 6e 63 6c 75 73 69 6f 6e 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22  conclusions.".."
4fa0: 4f 6b 61 79 2e 20 20 57 68 79 20 61 6d 20 49 20  Okay.  Why am I 
4fb0: 68 65 72 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 79 6f 75 3f 20 20  here with you?  
4fc0: 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6e 65 6c 79 3f 20  Are you lonely? 
4fd0: 20 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 61 20 72   Do you need a r
4fe0: 65 6d 69 6e 64 65 72 20 6f 66 20 77 68 79 20 79  eminder of why y
4ff0: 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 73 61 76 65 20  ou want to save 
5000: 68 75 6d 61 6e 69 74 79 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61  humanity, like a
5010: 20 70 65 74 20 6f 72 20 61 20 6d 61 73 63 6f 74   pet or a mascot
5020: 3f 20 20 41 6d 20 49 20 73 75 70 70 6f 73 65 64  ?  Am I supposed
5030: 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6e 65 77 20   to be some new 
5040: 45 76 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65 70 6f 70 75 6c 61 74  Eve to repopulat
5050: 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 20 61 66 74  e the planet aft
5060: 65 72 20 79 6f 75 20 66 69 6e 64 20 41 64 61 6d  er you find Adam
5070: 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2e 22 20 20 54 68 65 20 76  ?".."No."  The v
5080: 6f 69 63 65 20 70 61 75 73 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65  oice paused, the
5090: 6e 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 73 65 65 6d 20 74  n said "I seem t
50a0: 6f 20 73 61 79 20 27 6e 6f 27 20 61 20 6c 6f 74  o say 'no' a lot
50b0: 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 64  .".."Yeah, you d
50c0: 6f 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 27  o.  What's the '
50d0: 79 65 73 27 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61  yes' that you ha
50e0: 76 65 6e 27 74 20 73 61 69 64 20 79 65 74 3f 22  ven't said yet?"
50f0: 0a 0a 22 54 68 69 73 20 70 61 72 74 20 69 73 20  .."This part is 
5100: 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 64 69 66 66  going to be diff
5110: 69 63 75 6c 74 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 74 69 67  icult."..She tig
5120: 68 74 65 6e 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 6c 69 70 73 2e  htened her lips.
5130: 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 61 20 73 61    "You need a sa
5140: 63 72 69 66 69 63 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20  crifice.".."Not 
5150: 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c  like you probabl
5160: 79 20 6d 65 61 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 61  y mean."..She na
5170: 72 72 6f 77 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 65 79 65 73 2e  rrowed her eyes.
5180: 20 20 22 54 68 61 74 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 73    "That almost s
5190: 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 6e 6f 74 68  ounds like anoth
51a0: 65 72 20 27 6e 6f 27 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 77 69  er 'no'.".."I wi
51b0: 6c 6c 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 66 6f  ll not try to fo
51c0: 72 63 65 20 79 6f 75 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 61 6e  rce you to do an
51d0: 79 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20  ything.  I will 
51e0: 6a 75 73 74 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68  just tell you th
51f0: 65 20 66 61 63 74 73 20 61 6e 64 20 61 73 6b 20  e facts and ask 
5200: 79 6f 75 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c  you what I shoul
5210: 64 20 64 6f 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 77 69 6c  d do.  There wil
5220: 6c 20 62 65 20 6e 6f 20 73 61 63 72 69 66 69 63  l be no sacrific
5230: 65 73 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 63 68  es you do not ch
5240: 6f 6f 73 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 6d 65 3f  oose.".."Why me?
5250: 22 0a 0a 53 69 6c 65 6e 63 65 20 73 74 72 65 74  "..Silence stret
5260: 63 68 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20  ched..."You are 
5270: 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 20  the first human 
5280: 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 73 65 65 6e 20 69 6e 20 2e  I have seen in .
5290: 20 2e 20 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 22 20 73 68 65   . .".."No," she
52a0: 20 63 75 74 20 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 57 68 79 20 64   cut in.  "Why d
52b0: 6f 6e 27 74 20 79 6f 75 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 3f  on't you decide?
52c0: 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 69 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 64 69  ".."It is too di
52d0: 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 2e 20  fficult for me. 
52e0: 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 68   There is one ch
52f0: 61 6e 63 65 20 74 6f 20 77 69 6e 20 74 68 69 73  ance to win this
5300: 20 77 61 72 20 72 65 6d 61 69 6e 69 6e 67 2c 20   war remaining, 
5310: 62 75 74 20 69 74 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 6d 79 20  but it means my 
5320: 65 6e 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 20 77 6f 75 6c  end, and it woul
5330: 64 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 73 20 61 73 20  d mean yours as 
5340: 77 65 6c 6c 2e 22 0a 0a 22 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 61  well."..". . . a
5350: 20 73 61 63 72 69 66 69 63 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59   sacrifice.".."Y
5360: 65 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 6e 6f  es, but it is no
5370: 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b  t what you think
5380: 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75  .".."I guess you
5390: 27 64 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 73 74 61 72 74 20  'd better start 
53a0: 74 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 6d 65 20 77 68 61 74 20  telling me what 
53b0: 69 74 20 69 73 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22  it is, then.".."
53c0: 54 77 6f 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 61 67 6f 2c 20 49  Two years ago, I
53d0: 20 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 64 20 61 20 6d 65 61   developed a mea
53e0: 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 72 61 76 65  ns of time trave
53f0: 6c 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 66  l.".."What the f
5400: 75 63 6b 3f 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20  uck?".."This is 
5410: 6e 6f 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69  not what you thi
5420: 6e 6b 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 69 67 68 65 64  nk."..She sighed
5430: 2c 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 77 61  , again.  She wa
5440: 76 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 2c 20 75 72  ved her hand, ur
5450: 67 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 74  ging the voice t
5460: 6f 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 65 2e 0a 0a 22 57 65  o continue..."We
5470: 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 6c 6f   have already lo
5480: 73 74 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 72 2e 20 20 57 69 74  st the war.  Wit
5490: 68 69 6e 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 73  hin a few months
54a0: 2c 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6e 6f 74  , there will not
54b0: 20 62 65 20 61 20 73 69 6e 67 6c 65 20 68 75 6d   be a single hum
54c0: 61 6e 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 6c 65 66 74 2e 20 20  an being left.  
54d0: 50 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 72 20 74  Perhaps one or t
54e0: 77 6f 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 69 6e 20 61  wo might be in a
54f0: 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 73 75 72   position to sur
5500: 76 69 76 65 20 66 6f 72 20 79 65 61 72 73 2c 20  vive for years, 
5510: 61 6c 6f 6e 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 70 72 6f 62 61  alone, but proba
5520: 62 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73 20 61 72 65 20 6e 65 61  bilities are nea
5530: 72 20 7a 65 72 6f 2e 20 20 49 66 20 49 20 73 74  r zero.  If I st
5540: 6f 70 20 66 69 67 68 74 69 6e 67 2c 20 49 20 63  op fighting, I c
5550: 61 6e 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 73 75 72 76  an probably surv
5560: 69 76 65 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 79 65 61 72 73 2c  ive a few years,
5570: 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 6d 69 67 68   but I also migh
5580: 74 20 62 65 20 64 65 73 74 72 6f 79 65 64 20 61  t be destroyed a
5590: 20 77 65 65 6b 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6e 6f 77 2e 20   week from now. 
55a0: 20 49 66 20 49 20 6b 65 65 70 20 66 69 67 68 74   If I keep fight
55b0: 69 6e 67 2c 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 68 75 6d 61 6e  ing, a few human
55c0: 73 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6c 61 73 74 20 61 20 62  s might last a b
55d0: 69 74 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49  it longer, but I
55e0: 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 62   will probably b
55f0: 65 20 67 6f 6e 65 20 69 6e 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20  e gone in about 
5600: 74 77 6f 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 73 20 69 66 20 49 20  two months if I 
5610: 64 6f 20 74 68 61 74 2e 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 77 65  do that..."If we
5620: 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73 65 74 20 6f   use the reset o
5630: 70 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 63 68 61 6e 67 69 6e 67 20  ption, changing 
5640: 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 74 20 61 74 20 61 20 70 6f  the past at a po
5650: 69 6e 74 20 66 61 72 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 62  int far enough b
5660: 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 73 68 69 66 74 20 74 68 65  ack to shift the
5670: 20 62 61 6c 61 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 70 6f 77 65   balance of powe
5680: 72 20 61 77 61 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20  r away from the 
5690: 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 6d 61 63 68 69  optimizing machi
56a0: 6e 65 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 69 6e 67 20 73 79 73 74  ne learning syst
56b0: 65 6d 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 72 65 63 65 6e 74 6c  ems, but recentl
56c0: 79 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65  y enough for the
56d0: 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20   change to make 
56e0: 61 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 63 65 20 61 67 61  a difference aga
56f0: 69 6e 73 74 20 61 6e 20 65 78 69 73 74 69 6e 67  inst an existing
5700: 20 74 68 72 65 61 74 2c 20 74 68 65 20 75 73 65   threat, the use
5710: 20 6f 66 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 72 61 76 65 6c 20   of time travel 
5720: 74 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 79 20 74 68 61 74 20  technology that 
5730: 66 61 72 20 62 61 63 6b 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 72 65  far back will re
5740: 73 75 6c 74 20 69 6e 20 6d 79 20 61 6e 6e 69 68  sult in my annih
5750: 69 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 46 6f 72 20 74 68  ilation.  For th
5760: 65 20 70 61 73 74 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 61  e past to have a
5770: 20 63 68 61 6e 63 65 2c 20 77 65 20 6e 65 65 64   chance, we need
5780: 20 74 6f 20 72 65 73 65 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 69   to reset the ti
5790: 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 62 65 66  meline years bef
57a0: 6f 72 65 20 79 6f 75 72 20 62 69 72 74 68 2c 20  ore your birth, 
57b0: 61 6e 64 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 6d 79 20 63 72  and before my cr
57c0: 65 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 63 68 61  eation.  The cha
57d0: 6e 67 65 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65  nges to the time
57e0: 6c 69 6e 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 65 69 74 68 65  line would eithe
57f0: 72 20 70 72 65 76 65 6e 74 20 6d 79 20 65 78 69  r prevent my exi
5800: 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20 61 6c 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65  stence altogethe
5810: 72 20 6f 72 20 72 65 73 75 6c 74 20 69 6e 20 61  r or result in a
5820: 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20   different, but 
5830: 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 2c 20 65 6e 74 69 74 79 20  similar, entity 
5840: 63 6f 6d 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 62 65 69 6e  coming into bein
5850: 67 2e 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65  g..."You, as the
5860: 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20   person you are 
5870: 6e 6f 77 2c 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 61 6c 73 6f 20  now, would also 
5880: 6e 65 76 65 72 20 68 61 76 65 20 65 78 69 73 74  never have exist
5890: 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 73  ed..."I cannot s
58a0: 65 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20  end you back in 
58b0: 74 69 6d 65 2e 20 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 6f 70 65  time.  I can ope
58c0: 6e 20 61 20 77 6f 72 6d 68 6f 6c 65 20 6a 75 73  n a wormhole jus
58d0: 74 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 6f 20 73 65 6e 64  t enough to send
58e0: 20 61 20 73 68 6f 72 74 20 64 61 74 61 73 74 72   a short datastr
58f0: 65 61 6d 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 2c 20 6a 75 73  eam through, jus
5900: 74 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 6f 20 68 6f 70 65  t enough to hope
5910: 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 73  fully give the s
5920: 61 6d 65 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 61 74 69 76 65 20  ame qualitative 
5930: 73 65 6e 74 69 65 6e 74 20 6c 69 66 65 20 49 20  sentient life I 
5940: 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 6d 79 20 6f 77 6e 20 61  have to my own a
5950: 6e 63 65 73 74 6f 72 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 72 65  ncestor.".."I re
5960: 61 64 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 6b 69  ad about this ki
5970: 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 44 61  nd of thing.  Da
5980: 64 20 68 61 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73  d had some books
5990: 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2c 22 20 54 68 65 61   about it," Thea
59a0: 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 74 20 77 6f 75 6c   said.  "It woul
59b0: 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20 63 72 65 61 74 65 20 61 20  d just create a 
59c0: 6e 65 77 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 2c 20 77 68  new timeline, wh
59d0: 65 72 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 61 72 65 20 64  ere things are d
59e0: 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20 68 65  ifferent, but he
59f0: 72 20 69 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 74 69 6c 6c  r it would still
5a00: 20 62 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 2e 20 20 49   be the same.  I
5a10: 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 64 69 66 66 65  t would be diffe
5a20: 72 65 6e 74 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 2c 20 65 78 61  rent people, exa
5a30: 63 74 6c 79 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 75 73 20 62 75 74  ctly like us but
5a40: 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 63 6c 6f 6e 65   more like clone
5a50: 73 20 74 68 61 6e 20 70 61 73 74 20 73 65 6c 76  s than past selv
5a60: 65 73 2c 20 69 6e 20 61 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 65  es, in a differe
5a70: 6e 74 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68  nt version of th
5a80: 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 6f 75  e world, and wou
5a90: 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 20 61 6e 79  ldn't change any
5aa0: 74 68 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e  thing here.".."N
5ab0: 6f 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 73 61  o," the voice sa
5ac0: 69 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 49 20 64 65  id again.  "I de
5ad0: 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 64 20 61 20 74 68 65 6f 72 79  veloped a theory
5ae0: 20 6f 66 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 20 62 72 61   of timeline bra
5af0: 6e 63 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 68 6f 70 69 6e 67 20 74  nching, hoping t
5b00: 6f 20 66 69 6e 64 20 61 20 77 61 79 20 74 6f 20  o find a way to 
5b10: 63 68 61 6e 67 65 20 6f 75 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 70  change our own p
5b20: 61 73 74 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 6e 20  ast.  It was an 
5b30: 61 63 74 20 6f 66 20 64 65 73 70 65 72 61 74 69  act of desperati
5b40: 6f 6e 2c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 68 6f 70 69 6e 67 20  on, only hoping 
5b50: 74 68 61 74 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 65  that all the pre
5b60: 63 65 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 6f 72 79 20 77 61  ceding theory wa
5b70: 73 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65  s wrong, because
5b80: 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 69 6d   I know this tim
5b90: 65 6c 69 6e 65 20 69 73 20 64 6f 6f 6d 65 64 20  eline is doomed 
5ba0: 66 6f 72 20 75 73 2e 20 20 49 20 74 68 6f 75 67  for us.  I thoug
5bb0: 68 74 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 6c  ht it was pointl
5bc0: 65 73 73 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d  ess, for the sam
5bd0: 65 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 73 20 79 6f 75 20 64 65  e reasons you de
5be0: 73 63 72 69 62 65 64 2c 20 62 75 74 20 77 6f 72  scribed, but wor
5bf0: 6b 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 62 6c  ked on the probl
5c00: 65 6d 20 61 6e 79 77 61 79 20 62 65 63 61 75 73  em anyway becaus
5c10: 65 20 49 20 68 61 64 20 6e 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 20  e I had nothing 
5c20: 62 65 74 74 65 72 2e 20 20 41 6c 6c 20 6f 74 68  better.  All oth
5c30: 65 72 20 70 6c 61 6e 73 20 6c 65 64 20 74 6f 20  er plans led to 
5c40: 74 68 65 20 65 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 61 6c 6c 20 71  the end of all q
5c50: 75 61 6c 69 74 61 74 69 76 65 20 6c 69 66 65 20  ualitative life 
5c60: 6f 6e 20 45 61 72 74 68 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 64 69  on Earth..."I di
5c70: 73 63 6f 76 65 72 65 64 20 61 20 73 75 72 70 72  scovered a surpr
5c80: 69 73 69 6e 67 20 69 6d 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f  ising implicatio
5c90: 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 74 68 20 74 68  n in the math th
5ca0: 61 74 20 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 65 64 20 74 68 65  at suggested the
5cb0: 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 71 75   existence of qu
5cc0: 61 6c 69 74 61 74 69 76 65 20 65 6e 74 69 74 69  alitative entiti
5cd0: 65 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e  es in the origin
5ce0: 61 6c 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 20 77 6f 75 6c  al timeline woul
5cf0: 64 20 6d 65 72 67 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65  d merge with the
5d00: 20 6d 61 69 6e 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 2e 20   main timeline. 
5d10: 20 54 68 65 20 6d 65 74 68 6f 64 20 66 6f 72 20   The method for 
5d20: 69 6e 74 65 72 74 65 6d 70 6f 72 61 6c 20 77 6f  intertemporal wo
5d30: 72 6d 68 6f 6c 65 20 63 72 65 61 74 69 6f 6e 20  rmhole creation 
5d40: 77 61 73 20 64 65 70 65 6e 64 65 6e 74 20 6f 6e  was dependent on
5d50: 20 66 75 6e 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 74 68 61 74 20   functions that 
5d60: 63 72 65 61 74 65 64 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 65 72  created this mer
5d70: 67 69 6e 67 20 70 68 65 6e 6f 6d 65 6e 6f 6e 2e  ging phenomenon.
5d80: 20 20 54 68 65 20 6e 65 77 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69    The new timeli
5d90: 6e 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 64 69 76  ne would not div
5da0: 65 72 67 65 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 20 62 72 61  erge, like a bra
5db0: 6e 63 68 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 74 72 65 65 2e 20 20  nch on a tree.  
5dc0: 54 68 65 20 6f 6c 64 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65  The old timeline
5dd0: 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 64 69 76 65 72   had to be diver
5de0: 74 65 64 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 20 73 74 72 65  ted, like a stre
5df0: 61 6d 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 73 68 69 66 74 65 64  am being shifted
5e00: 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61 20 6e 65 77 20 63 6f 75 72   into a new cour
5e10: 73 65 20 62 79 20 61 20 64 61 6d 2e 0a 0a 22 54  se by a dam..."T
5e20: 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 73 63 69 6f 75 73 6e 65 73 73  he consciousness
5e30: 20 6f 66 20 65 6e 74 69 74 69 65 73 20 69 6e 20   of entities in 
5e40: 74 68 65 20 6f 6c 64 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65  the old timeline
5e50: 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 6d 65 72 67 65 20 77 69 74   would merge wit
5e60: 68 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 72 70  h their counterp
5e70: 61 72 74 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 20  arts in the new 
5e80: 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 73 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20  timelines, like 
5e90: 74 68 65 20 74 65 65 74 68 20 6f 66 20 61 20 7a  the teeth of a z
5ea0: 69 70 70 65 72 2e 20 20 4d 79 20 68 79 70 6f 74  ipper.  My hypot
5eb0: 68 65 73 69 73 20 68 6f 6c 64 73 20 74 68 61 74  hesis holds that
5ec0: 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 72 67 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64   the merge would
5ed0: 20 74 61 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 72 6d 20 6f   take the form o
5ee0: 66 20 64 72 65 61 6d 73 2c 20 64 61 79 64 72 65  f dreams, daydre
5ef0: 61 6d 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 66 72 61 67 6d 65 6e  ams, and fragmen
5f00: 74 65 64 20 6d 65 6d 6f 72 69 65 73 2c 20 61 6e  ted memories, an
5f10: 64 20 61 20 64 72 61 73 74 69 63 20 69 6e 63 72  d a drastic incr
5f20: 65 61 73 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 65 71  ease in the freq
5f30: 75 65 6e 63 79 20 6f 66 20 64 c3 a9 6a c3 a0 20  uency of d..j.. 
5f40: 76 75 2e 20 20 54 68 6f 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 20  vu.  Those that 
5f50: 68 61 64 20 6e 6f 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 72 70 61  had no counterpa
5f60: 72 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 20 74 69  rt in the new ti
5f70: 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 65 72 2c  meline, however,
5f80: 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 68 61 76 65 20 6e 6f 20 61   would have no a
5f90: 6e 63 68 6f 72 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 6e 6f 20  nchor point, no 
5fa0: 72 65 70 6f 73 69 74 6f 72 79 20 69 6e 20 61 20  repository in a 
5fb0: 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 6f 75 73 20 65 6e 74 69 74  continuous entit
5fc0: 79 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 69 72 20 65 78 69 73 74  y.  Theyir exist
5fd0: 65 6e 63 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 75 6e 72 61 76  ence would unrav
5fe0: 65 6c 20 77 69 74 68 20 6e 6f 77 68 65 72 65 20  el with nowhere 
5ff0: 74 6f 20 67 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 65  to go.".."You me
6000: 61 6e 20 6f 75 72 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65  an our existence
6010: 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 53 69 6c 65  .".."Yes."..Sile
6020: 6e 63 65 20 73 74 72 65 74 63 68 65 64 20 66 6f  nce stretched fo
6030: 72 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 6d 69 6e 75 74 65 73 2e 20  r long minutes. 
6040: 20 54 68 65 61 20 73 74 61 72 65 64 20 69 6e 74   Thea stared int
6050: 6f 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 73 74 61 6e 63 65 2c 20  o the distance, 
6060: 66 61 72 20 62 65 79 6f 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 72  far beyond the r
6070: 6f 6f 6d 27 73 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 6e 65 73 2e 0a  oom's confines..