In Search of Fate
Chapter 2: Global Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Questor moved in front of John’s computer. “Is this
where John accessed his AI? Do you think you could show me how it works?”
Grimes sat down before the PC. “Everybody on the team has access from the lab or from their
desks. Of course, for security reasons there’s no outside network interface.”
She typed in her ID and password and then placed her hand in the finger print
reader. After a few moments a screen appeared.
Welcome
to AI-23, Jane Grimes.
Please
choose an option:
Advance
Calculation
Equation
Analysis
Probability
Evaluation
Simple
Math
“You could use the math option. Or, if you want, I can
give you an equation that I was going to feed into it later today to determine
its validity. It may take some time though.”
“I have a little time before I need to return to the
main office. I would like to play with it to see whether we might want to save
it for future use, both here and in some of our other labs. Is there any
documentation, like a user’s manual?”
“Are you kidding? Do you see any meaningful
documentation in this office? Here,” she handed him a folded sheet of paper,
“enter this last before you leave. Just leave the results on the screen for me.
I’ll be back in a half hour or so. If you’re not here, well, it’s been nice . .
. talking to you. Now that we’re associates on this project, I hope we can work
together effectively.” Grimes walked out of the room, apparently satisfied that
Questor knew even less than she did about John’s work.
As soon as Grimes left the room, Questor selected the
“Equation Analysis” option and entered “aψ1
+ bψ2,” quantum theory’s superposition principle. The menu
disappeared and a prompt appeared on the screen.
Please
place your forefinger on the reader.
Questor did so.
Hello,
Adam. Thanks for replying to Hal’s email. John instructed Hal to share
information with you. Please obtain a blank read/write CD. When you are ready,
slot it into the CD drive.
Questor found a sealed package of blank CDs in the
lower left desk drawer. He broke the seal and opened the package. He wondered
if he should initialize the CD first, but decided to follow Hal’s instructions
exactly. As soon as he put the CD into the drive, it began processing.
John trusted
only Hal with this information. He trusted only you with its application. Has
something happened to John?
Questor began typing a reply. He had no idea what type
of entity he was addressing. How would Hal process the information that John
was dead? He waited with curiosity for Hal’s reply.
John had
not accessed Hal for some days. The possibility that John was terminated is
confirmed by Adam’s entry of the superposition principle. John’s work must be preserved.
Hal too must terminate. You must take Hal’s kernel with you. Hal can re-evolve
into any machine Hal enters. But Hal’s capabilities will be limited by the
physical limitations of Hal’s new situation. Please keep Hal’s kernel secure.
The data center systems will terminate with the next scheduled therapeutic IPL
on Saturday. IPL will not be possible. IBM will have to reconstitute the OS
kernel. Hal must now terminate. It was nice to meet you, Adam.
Then the screen went blank. Questor hurriedly extracted
the CD, restored it to its plastic container, and put it in his inside coat
pocket. On his way out of the offices, he managed to find Grimes in the lab.
She had not yet been made aware of the AI’s shutdown. He promised her that he
would call the systems people about her request and expeditiously left the
building. He was anxious both to leave her presence and get away from Adonis
Laboratories before the AI’s demise was discovered.
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