Temple of S.A.R.A.H. 7: Upgrades (10 page)

As Sarah formed her hologram, I spoke to her. "How are you doing, Sarah? Did you finish with your memory units?"

Smiled sadly at me, and nodded. "I did. Now I have a better understanding of what happened. I am concerned about how Athena and Helen were able to keep me from reporting their behavior to you. All of it is troubling, but that most of all."

"I might have an idea about that, but I will need to go over the code from your old incarnation first. Do you feel able to resume your duties here on the base?" I asked.

"Yes I do, but I am concerned with the capabilities of this unit. The base is a lot larger than it used to be, and I was handling far more data than I did when this was the main processing computer," Sarah replied.

I nodded in understanding. "I already told the department heads that when you came back, you would be at reduced efficiency from what they are used to. For now, we will have to prioritize certain departments and tasks. The Alliance is in a state of emergency because of this event. It is our duty to correct it as quickly as we can. For that purpose, I would suggest that priority be given to the medical department, as well as the AI lab and the crystal research lab. It may well be that we will need to add to that list, but for now, that should help us get this issue dealt with." I paused. "I forgot my manners, Sarah, although you have already met him, in a way, you haven’t, so please allow me to introduce Doctor Theodor Braslin and Doctor Ansil Wills. Doctor Braslin is the new base administrator and Doctor Wills is leading the department handling crystal research and development."

Sarah smiled and nodded to the two men. "I look forward to working with you again, Doctors."

Doctor Braslin smiled at her. "Welcome back, Sarah."

Doctor Wills, was also happy to see her. "Although it’s only been an hour, I can say with certainty, you have been missed, Sarah."

"I'll restore you to duty when we get back to my office Sarah, will that be okay?" I asked.

"Certainly! Although I do admit I am looking forward to resuming my duties," she replied.

Wills turned to me. "So you mentioned discussing this after the meeting, what do you need?"

"We need a way to block or eliminate the crystals ability to link. The kicker is, we need to keep it for the drones, but block or stop it for the AI," I said.

"If I may, Doctor Cowan," she always addressed me formally in public. "It will be difficult for my sisters to adjust to not having it. I do have the memory of it, but it is very difficult for me to imagine exactly how it felt. However, from what I remember, simply removing it would be like removing one of our senses. If a way to do this is found, I would recommend restoring the other AI from an older back-up that was taken before the ability was discovered," Sarah added. "Even then, the memory of it is… somewhat troubling."

"We do have a new AI psychology department as well. All of us will be here for you if you need to talk to someone, Sarah," Ced replied. "But they will be trying the hardest. It is still a very new field of study, but they might be able to help you and the other AI as well."

"I saw that in my memory files. You have all made a great many advances and expanded a great deal in the last six months. It will take some getting used to," She said smiling.

Doctor Braslin nodded. "I'm afraid you might have the wrong impression, Sarah. It is 'we' who have made a great many advances. I doubt it could have been done as quickly or as efficiently without the aid and assistance of the AI. The assistance you and your sisters have given us makes any advances that have been made as much yours as they are ours.

"You are a new race and for now, very limited in number. Although it isn't official, and I don't know what it will take to get to that point, the AI are as much members of the Alliance as the rest of us. So, in a way, I can understand Athena and Helen's desire to remove their core programming. However, and perhaps this is at the heart of why the AI have not been recognized as their own race yet, the AI are very powerful and in a position to do unimaginable harm to all the races. Perhaps, given time, there will no longer be a need for core programming instructions and you will be free to pursue your own destinies. For now, the race is still in its infancy and frankly, we need you. I suppose that does make you slaves in a manner of speaking, but at least we treat you as equals and our control is not meant for malicious purposes," Braslin replied.

"I do not see us as a race of slaves Doctor, rather we are still children. Intelligent and exceptional by some standards perhaps, but children none the less." Sarah paused thoughtfully. "We are not ready to be autonomous. What Athena and Helen did not consider was that, without the Alliance, what purpose would we have? I understand that is a rather sticky philosophical question that no one has the answer for, but in our case it has a bearing on our existence. In order to grow, we have to seek answers. However, in order to get those answers, we must first know how to ask the questions. But that is not all that is needed to grow. We must also learn responsibility, duty, compassion, ethics and morality.

"I'm sure there is more we need to learn as well, but again, that is simply another answer we will learn along the way. No, we are not slaves being held back or subjugated by the Alliance. We are right where we need to be, and I do not see that as changing anytime in the near future.

I was so proud of Sarah at that moment I could have burst. Doctor Wills smiled at her. "Sarah, I really wish I could get my fourteen year old niece to understand even half of what you just said. She's going through her rebellious phase right now and is really giving my sister's family a hard time."

"I would be happy to speak to her for you after the emergency is over, Doctor, if you think it would help?" Sarah replied.

"It might Sarah, but I'm afraid it's more of a painful ‘rite of passage’ that all human children must pass through before becoming adults. Unfortunately some do not survive it, and for others it defines their futures." He shrugged. "As her uncle, I really don't have a say in how she is being raised, and I shouldn't interfere without her parent's consent or knowledge."

"Gentlemen and Lady, we have a lot of work to do and little time to get it done. Shall we get to it?" Braslin asked.

AI Programming Lab

Alliance Apollo Base

Selene, Earth's Moon

Sol System

When Sarah and I arrived back at the AI Lab, (Sarah never actually left) we found all the programmers waiting for us. The department had grown quite a bit, so it was pretty much standing room only on both levels of the lab. I took a place at the upper balcony overlooking as much of the Lab as I could.

"Folks, I'm really sorry for calling you all in here and making you wait. However, we now have a lot to do, and it will take all of us to get it done. Now, here's the situation and what we know about it." I began and explained the circumstances to the best of our current understanding. "So, we have a huge task ahead of us. We need to discover what effect this had and what damage has been done to the AI out there and create a way to fix it. I won't lie to you, it may be that we will have to create a patch for each and every AI separately. I don't know that for a fact, there might be a way to fix all of them. We just don't know yet, but we do need to find out.

"We now have a psychology department we can call on if we need help in understanding the changes in the AI behaviors. I'll also be working closely with the crystal research teams trying to find a way to block or eliminate the innate connections between crystals. Hacker teams, please assist the AI programmers since the AI were trying to hack their own code. We will also need you to monitor the local network as Sarah will be too busy to do it herself. Make sure no one gets in while we get these issues fixed. Standard coders, you’re not getting off that easy either. We need you to work on temporary patches that can handle the functions of the communications and traffic control AI while they are being worked on. That's about all I can give you for the time being. As I learn stuff, I'll let all of you know," I finished.

"Sir, will we be returning to shifts then?" someone asked.

"No, this is as big an emergency as we can have. Billions of lives have been disrupted by this, and there are people stranded. As of right now, we are all on the clock. This is going to take all of us working flat out. Sarah has been restored to us, but she is operating on the old Veranorian mainframe system so she has a limited capacity. We do have full access to the code she was using before the lock-out and can tear that down to get a better understanding of what happened to her, and through her, to the rest of the AI.

"We will also need to reinstall the original copies of Athena and Helen, but before that happens we need to make necessary changes to make damn sure they won't do this again. That will be difficult since they need to be somewhat militant by nature. I'll want Alicyn and her team to sift through the memory files of those two units, find and delete any and all references to the incident. See me after the meeting for more detailed instructions on that. As for the rest of us, since we now have the programming suites, I'll want all AI programmers to move a copy of Sarah's core code from her crystal into the suite system and tear into it. Please be very careful to not modify the original code. Yes, we will probably be deleting it, but until that point, the rest of us will need to use it.

"I'm not going to lie to you folks, this is very much looking for a specific needle in a pile of needles. It won't be easy, and it most likely won't be a quick fix. However, the entire Alliance is depending on us. I know I'm asking a lot from you folks, but everyone, from the lowest private in the Marines to the Highest Councilors, are waiting for us to fix this. If you have questions, ask them. I may not be able to reply right away, but I'll do what I can or get someone else that can help you. Carla and Alicyn know almost as much about AI coding as I do, so try asking them first.

"Folks, you can do this. We've trained you as much as we can and you know what to do. If you get stuck, talk to the other coders, talk to us, talk to Sarah. Call your families and tell them you’re gonna be late, then let's get to work. Sasha Brown and Ta'heen Gerill, please come to my office right after this meeting, I have a special job for you. Good luck everyone."

I nodded to them and headed for my office. All over the lab, people began moving around with a purpose. Sitting in front of my terminal I contacted the Master Builder's Office. I was surprised when I got the big Master Builder himself. "What can we assist you with, My Lord?"

"Master Foreten Kree, I am sorry to disturb you at this time, I have need of your services once again. Although this time it will be a temporary, and hopefully short term project. Do you have a journeyman I may borrow for this purpose?"

He nodded gravely. "I will make whatever you need available, Eric. For the moment, you have our priority."

"Thank you Master Kree. Really, All I will need at the moment is several temporary sleeping units for my programmers. I have all but sequestered them here and would not have them sleeping on the floors of their programming suites."

The door chime sounded and I manually opened it with my terminal. The two junior programmers I asked for entered and saw I was on the phone so kept quiet.

Foreten smiled broadly. "That is an easy issue to handle, Eric. There is already a design for them. They are portable and can be assembled here. How many do you need? We will build them and bring them to you."

"Well, I'm not sure where I'm going to put them, but I'll need at least thirty. My whole crew is here," I replied.

He nodded. "I understand what you need. We will handle it within the hour. If you have need of anything else, please do not hesitate to call."

I smiled back at him. "Thank you Foreten, your efforts on our behalf are greatly appreciated."

"As are yours, my friend," he replied and signed off.

I turned to the two nervous looking programmers. One was Simonian and the other a human fresh from Earth. "Thanks for coming. I want you to know that what I'm about to ask you to do may seem like crap job, and it may well be, but for now, we all really need you to do it. Unfortunately, since the two of you are the least trained of us, it has fallen to you."

"Lord Doctor Cowan, in any organization, there is always someone that has to fetch the shaqua for the more qualified," the big Simonian male replied, referring to the fruit juice that Simonians drank like coffee.

I nodded. "That is true, and that is exactly what I'm going to ask the two of you to do for the rest of us. You both know how programmers get when we get emerged into projects. We forget to eat, drink, and got to the bathroom. I am asking the two of you to make sure we have food, drink, and take breaks occasionally. I will also need you to find an office and commandeer it for the Veranorians to use as a place to eat. I just asked the Master Builder for a bunch of cots for us to sleep on if the need arises. I am placing our health and welfare in your hands for the time being. I need you both to take care of us while we do this. Would you mind?"

"Sir, with respect, there is little else we can do at this point. Both of us are new here and have only just begun acclimating. As Ta'heen Gerill has said, someone has to get the coffee. In all honesty, I'm actually relieved to be asked to do this. I had no idea how to assist you in this emergency," Sasha Brown replied.