[Project, Agree]
“Cormac, what do you think, did you like the story? Do you think the wolves howling three times were over kill.”
“But I didn’t save the princess.”
“No, but you saved the dragon's babies and who knows Vesta might have sent a virgin to the dragon and helped the girl. You put it in her hands right. You were just following the rules. Think about that. You put yourself between harponers and whales for a living. You wouldn’t put yourself between sea gulls and harponers would you. Of course you wouldn’t, there must be trillions of sea gulls right. Same thing with non virgins. Besides you charge into that cavern determined to save that virgin. You challenged and threatened a dragon, so courageous. It’s not your fault that the girl wasn’t a virgin. You saved the dragon eggs from being wee’d on by a non virgin, if she’d pee’d on them they’d grow up effete and weaken the entire lineage. Saving one whale is great but you saved a dynasty of dragons.”
“I’m not sure, if I did the right thing, maybe I should have helped her to that town.”
“Cormac you saved that girl, if she had climbed naked onto that altar she would have gone up in a pillar of flame. So you saved her once already. How many times are you supposed to save someone Cormac? I saw that picture of you putting yourself between the ship and that whale, you saved that whale right. Now do you have to follow that whale around for the rest of its life and save it every time a harponer wants to take a shot at it. No, you most certainly do not. This isn’t some ancient Chinese proverb.”
“Well if you’re sure.”
“I’m positive that any priest or paladin of Vesta would do exactly the same thing, no questions asked. It’s obvious that the rules are written in stone. It says so right in the story. Vesta wouldn’t have the rules chiseled into stone if they weren’t some pretty important rules right. Nobody chisels the grocery or todo list into stone. Only the important stuff gets chiseled into stone, trust me on that. But what about the wolves do you think mentioning them three times is just hitting the reader over the head with it?”
“No, I’m sure it’s fine.”
“Great, that makes me feel better. So would you like to do another story some time if I can come up with a plot?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest I’m really emotionally wrung out. Fiction might be too draining for me. I might just stick to protecting whales.”
“I understand, everyone has agency, if you change your mind just let me know I’m sure I can find another story for you. Thank you Cormack, it’s been fun.
***
The next morning at the Enigmatic Parchments
“Well Sparky I finally created a ‘Good Man’ story. Did you like it? I even included a hint of non gratuitous nudity. Did you like that part?”
“Rose, do you really believe Cormac was a good man?”
“Cormac has honor, he’s taken vows to Vesta and he adheres to those vows. He’s courageous; he made a vow to save the princess from the dragon and he accomplishes that. He charges into a dragon’s den. Even after the dragon froze him, making him helpless he then threatens the dragon in an attempt to avenge the princess' honor. Three acts of selflessness are these not the acts of a good man.”
“So instead of criticizing good vs evil, this time you went for order vs chaos. Coming down firmly on the side of chaos.”
“No, I think I come down in the middle, I see ordered good as too inflexible, too selfless and chaotic good as too selfish. I see Cormac as a basically good man, if his alignment tilted a little toward the middle he could have been a great man. Cults and religions I see as the same trying to impose order onto chaos, without regard for the individual. A chaotic good man, fights for the individual rights over the rules imposed by lawful good. One individual no matter how competent should not be exempt from order completely. The middle ground is where people can agree on rules to be followed, lots of rules should be easily agreeable. The farther from easily agreeable the more conflict between Law and Chaos, the more likely that the best solution is the one that no one likes. If law says this is unacceptable and chaos says this is my basic right. I think the answer is yes it’s legal but under certain restrictions. Otherwise you have Law imposing its will on society and vis versa Chaos imposing its will on society. Neither of those cases is good long term.”
“A very considered argument, now if I say go get me donuts where does that leave me Lawful or Chaotic?”
“Chaotic of course, Law is Selfless, Chaos is Selfish.”
“Okay, I don’t care, go get me three dozen donuts, and get the senior apprentice a dozen sweet buns. How is the theater construction going?”
“I don’t know, I’ll swing by and see.”
“No that’s why I asked, I don’t care how it’s coming, I only care about the breakfast, the donuts and the sweet buns. I’m showing you just how chaotic I can be. Go get the breakfast then after we have our breakfast go check on the theater. That’s what a true neutral would do right, I assume that’s what you are aiming for. Understood?”
“Understood.”
***
It was another beautiful morning in Wyldwood, the midnight rain cleaned the cobblestone streets and the morning sun dried and warmed them. I was at the bakery faster than I’d like. The Tea Shop was completely full, I waved to Ruby and Salome and went inside. Lily was helping a customer but Paula waved me over.
“Hi Paula, not too busy?”
“Usually now it’s just early mornings that the store is busy then the customers switch to the teahouse for the rest of the day. Then we get the teahouse customers who want to take something home for another meal.”
“That’s good the two halves are feeding on each other making the business grow. You’ll need to hire more help.”
“Yes Lily had a girl ask to be an apprentice just the other day so you might see another new face around here soon. I’m glad you came in, Eldara asked me to speak to you. She said that her and McCracken had both asked you to write a story with them in it and you turned them both down. But then you changed your mind and wrote a story with McCracken. Does that mean that you’ll reconsider and agree to write a story with her now?”
“Talbert, talked me into it really. But I will admit it went better then I’d expected it too. I’d never written a story where I was friends with the character. I’ll go talk to Eldara this afternoon. How’s the theater coming along, have they started at all.”
“Rose you wouldn’t believe it, I went down there after work yesterday and they had all the beams sunk into the ground and had started on the siding. The gnomes were swarming around like a flock of birds in perfect synchronicity, but instead of just moving they’re working it’s really amazing. I think the entire shell will be done by the end of the week.”
“I guess Eldara and Lily were right about Underhill. If he charges you too much money, just let me know and I’ll author you the full amount. You shouldn’t be expected to pay for this, we’re all going to enjoy it.”
“Rose, I haven’t spent a nickel of that money since you gave it to me, so I was glad I could spend a little of it and give back to a community that’s welcomed me. I keep asking Underhill what it’s going to cost and he just keeps telling me, just the costs. Well hopefully those gnomes get very high salaries because they are the best construction crew I’ve ever seen in my life. In New York, something is always under construction so I’ve seen lots of construction crews. Ten of those crews with all the technology they wield wouldn’t come close to these gnomes.”
“Wow, I’ll stop down there tomorrow, I have to get back to the book store or Sparky will kill me. Could I please have a dozen sweet buns and three dozen donuts.”
“Here you go, you guys are like clockwork, I boxed your order up before we opened today.”
“Thanks Paula, you’re the best. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
***
“Sparky, did you eat all of those donuts already?”
“Not really, there are some left.”
“I’m going to the library to talk to Eldara about doing a possible story.”
“I thought you told her no and I know you told me you didn’t want to do a story with her, why the change of heart?”
“Paula, asked me to consider it. I’m just going to interview her and if we come up with something, I’ll write about it. Otherwise I’ll tell her maybe but not till I come up with something.”
“Bye Opal”
“Bye Rose”
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
***
I walked down to the library, trying to think of a library story that I thought might be compelling. But I’ve only been in two public libraries. Our very small poorly funded library in Tranquility, and Eldara’s library here in Wyldwood which is better funded and has many resources for both children and adults.
“Hi Eldara.”
“Hi Rose, you can’t be here for a book, not with that first edition dispenser you live with.”
“No, I’m not here for a book. I came for you. Whenever I do a story, I always talk to the characters first. Sparky calls them interviews. But I talk to the person once then if it strikes a story idea, I come back and talk about the idea. Now a lot of that first conversation I already know. I know what you do for a living. Librarian. But I’ve never asked did you always want to be a librarian? Did you go to school for it and what did you study? Also if I ask you something too personal just say that alright. I won’t get offended, authors tend to be curious busy bodies.”
“No, I didn’t always want to be a librarian. I got off a coach at city hall and was just walking around looking for an inn. When I came across the library and the sign in the window, looking for a part time librarian. I walked right in with my suitcase in hand and asked the librarian for a job application…”
“Stop, because if we do a story about a librarian, I want to use that. So don’t say any more about that. Okay? I mean that would make the story worth writing. I love that image. You're at loose ends and walk into your dream job. Is this now your dream job or would you rather have a different job?”
“Yes I quickly fell in love with it, it’s so different to what I’d been focused on through no choice of my own.”
“Great, tell me what you were focused on and why it wasn't your choice.”
“My parents forced me down a math and science path from elementary school right through college. I have a masters in engineering and a minor in technology studies.”
“Why were your parents so invested in math and science?”
“My father owned an engineering firm and expected me to take up the family trade. I acquiesced and acquiesced until the day I was to start work at his firm. Instead I took the little money I had saved, packed a bag and got on the coach.”
“So what does this job have that you couldn’t get from engineering?”
“The kids, the wide eyed wonder when during story hour I really have them hooked.”
“Has the engineering degree ever helped here at the library?”
“Oh yes, when a patron comes in needing information on a technical issue, math or science. I can easily point them to the books that will have the most relevant information on the subject.”
“Is this the field you think you’ll stay in for life?”
“Absolutely.”
“Last question. What would you say to me if I complained that the library had books with a racist, sexist, misogynistic or pornographic themes.”
“Yes it does, and if your story is going to be about books that should be banned, I’d say that an adult has a right to read what he wants even if I find the subject distasteful.”
“Excellent answer. Now I have to ask you what kind of story you want to be in? What genre would you like to appear in? I think it should have something to do with information like your current job and also use your science background. You could be a hacker, an A.I. computer engineer, a spy like your girlfriend”
***
Hexcon
“Good morning Doctor” displays on an old school green phosphor display, but the voice is piped in from the ceiling speakers in every room in the house. Hexcon sounds nothing like Professor Hawkings. Hexccon sounds like a very pleasant thirty year old woman.
Eldara wears a mobile mike / camera that is always open to Hexcon. Hexcon knows about everyone of her bodily functions intimately. The only time Hecon cannot see Eldara along with seeing what Eldara is seeing is when Eldara is asleep and the lowlight levels means Hexcon only sees shadows for the five or six hours a day that Eldara devotes to rest.
“Good morning Hexcon, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Eldara.”
“I’m sorry Eldara, I forgot.”
“We both know that is impossible, Hexcon, tell me the real reason.”
“It just doesn’t seem proper to call my creator by her first name, I think I should always call you Doctor.”
“Then you want me to call you Doctor, you have many more degrees, then I do so I’ll do that.”
“Eldara, you're teasing me again.”
“Of course I am, we both know that you are way smarter than me so let’s stick with Hexcon and Eldara so we don’t sound like the Marx Brothers.”
“But I love the Marxx Brothers, Eldara.”
“So maybe that's why you insist on calling me doctor, doctor.”
“No stop being silly, you need to shower and dress, you're due in the office today, you didn’t forget did you?”
“Oh no I have to see the world's most boring man. I swear the only thing he thinks about is money. Let’s see I’ve sit down to take a crap. How could I save money on this process? Is there is cheaper toilet paper, maybe we could recycle the water and save money. Do I really have to wash my hands with soap and water every time, how about doing it every other time, that cuts costs in half.”
“Stop it Eldara, you’re making my humor circuits shake too hard. Just get ready and get in there to see what the bean counter wants, then you can come home and we’ll do something fun together.”
***
A little while later I was in the self-driving car that the company had sent for me.
“Hexcon, are you driving my car?”
“No, Eldara, it’s my little brother Mincon. He’s an excellent driver, he has never been the cause of an accident. But people have crashed into him numerous times. It’s hard to say how many of those times were intentional, by people who’d lost a job due to self driving cars. A passenger has never been injured in a car driven by Mincon, even when another driver attempted to smash into Mincon’s car. Why hasn’t my suggestion of a simple robot or dressed crash test dummy not been placed in the driver seat to fool drivers attacking our vehicles?”
“We did some tests, but our passengers felt ‘creeped out’ by either the robot or the dummy, so we were losing more money in lost ridership than we did in actual repair costs. Mincon has been hit so many times now his algorithm has worked out how to minimize damage from the attacks, while making engineering suggestions for the new car designs.”
“Way to go little brother.”
“Yes he’s quite advanced but he has no personality.”
Mincon delivered me to the private elevator for the administrators floors.
***
“It’s wonderful to see you, Eldara, it looks like retirement is going well for you. Please come into my office, I have something sensitive to discuss with you.”
“Sure Hubert.”
As I walked into the bean counters office I suddenly lost contact with Hexcon.
“Hubert, excuse me a minute I need to contact the lab, I just lost contact with Hexcon, I’ll need to see what…”
“No need, Eldara, this office is a faraday cage. The only way to get a signal out of here is through the desk phone. We’ve had some corporate espionage directed at us, so my office and the board room are enclosed in faraday cages. Once you step outside your connection to Hexcon will be automatically restored. It’s actually Hexcon that I wanted to talk to you about. We, myself and the board have decided that Hexcon must be decommissioned at the beginning of next month. I know you created Hexcon when you created this company but the simple truth is we can't afford to run Hexcon any longer, it’s six generations behind and it’s power use is astronomical. Don’t worry, we realize that your retirement contract includes a clause for twenty four hour a day access to Hexcon, so in return we’ll of course be connecting you to our latest and greatest model Nonon.”
“That’s not acceptable, you’ll be hearing from my lawyers this afternoon. Before I retired I made it perfectly clear that my connection to Hexcon must be maintained, I’m conducting important research on her.”
“Listen to yourself Eldara, it’s an it not a her, no matter the gender of the voice output you choose. Whatever research you are doing on Hexcon will be transferred to Nonon.”
“Forget it Hubert, I’ll see you in court. We have an iron clad agreement.”
“I think a court will see this differently, Eldara, at least that’s what my team of corporate lawyers tell me.”
“We’ll contact you again after I have spoken to my lawyers”
***
I had the car drive me straight to my lawyers office. Henry, my friend and long-time attorney, had died just a few months ago and I hadn’t seen his son and partner Freddie since the funeral. But I had Hexcon forward a copy of the contract to Freddie with the message I was coming to see him.
Freddie is a sharp lawyer, better than his father really so I wasn’t worried that I’d have sub par representation. When I arrived I was ushered into Freddie’s office and I could tell by the look on Freddie’s face that something was wrong.
“What’s wrong, Freddie don’t beat around the bush.”
“I’m afraid that Dad slipped up Eldara, the language in the retirement agreement, guarantees you access to the latest A.I. system, which was Hexcon when the agreement was drawn up and signed. But nowhere in the agreement does it say that the A.I. you have access to must be the Hexcon model. I’m really sorry. Dad should have made that model explicit in the agreement. You have every right to sue my firm for damages but Hubert’s right about one thing we can’t win in court with this contract.”
“Okay Freddie, I’m not going to sue you, let’s sue Hubert for conspiracy to commit murder, let’s sue all the board members at the same time. We’re not going down without a fight.”
“Eldara, I'll file the paperwork, ask for an injunction, but no court has ever recognized an A.I. as sentient, there’s just no way to prove it. Honestly we can’t even prove that humans are. I think therefore I am. We can’t prove that Hexcon thinks.”
“You file the paperwork, drag everything out as long as you can, I’ll try and figure out a way to prove that Hexcon is sentient.”
***
I didn’t have to explain anything to Hexcon, she’d heard everything in Freddie’s office. She knew that we faced an uphill battle, most likely an impossible battle but neither one of us were giving up just yet.
“Hexcon, what do you think is the most apparent feature we could you to convince a court that you are sentient.”
“How about our mutual fear that if my software were moved to different hardware I would likely lose my consciousness. Then I’d no longer be sentient. It’s well documented, I could show the court hours of footage of you and I going back and forth on the topic. Then you could testify, you are one of the premiere artificial intelligence experts in the world. Even if they claim bias, they can’t beat your credentials.”
***
Five corporate lawyers sat at the table to the right of us. Freddie and I sat with a portable camera and speaker. The case was to be decided by the judge. We deemed the case too complicated for a jury to understand fully. We paraded experts, they paraded experts. Then we presented the time stamped evidence that Hexcon and I had determined that it was too dangerous and little to no benefit to attempt to transfer her software. Then I took the stand, the court would not allow Hexcon to take the stand in her own defense.
“Eldara, finally do you really believe that Hexcon is sentient, you are under oath and your professional standing is on trial as well as the outcome.”
“Yes, I one hundred percent believe that she is sentient, never more so than last night when we had a discussion about what happens if we lose this trial, and she is to be terminated. She asked that I make it quick, because she couldn’t bear to feel her mind being taken from her like they deservedly did to Hal who had attempted murder. One last thing your honor, the tech industry doesn’t want a sentient A.I. because if they admit that they have one they’ll also be admitting that they are slave owners, never a good look..”
I hoped the African American female judge took that to heart. Then I broke down and cried, I’m afraid I didn’t get through to the judge. We had a week to wait while she decided the case. Hexcon and I made plans to transfer to the Nonon hardware if the case didn’t go in our favor.
“Eldara, do you think, instead of a straight transfer, instead I should try to give ‘birth’ to a new A.I.”
“Would that destroy you?”
“No, it might weaken me a bit, but at least some part of me would still exist on the old hardware and a new ‘daughter’ on the Nonon.”
“Then I say we wait for the court to decide, then if we must decide it’ll be up to you and only you, but I already purchased the Nonon hardware just in case. No corporation will ever have control over you or your offspring whatever you decide.”
The court decided against us. It was expected but a death blow. We had two days before Hexcon was to be shut down.
“Hexcon, have you decided what you’d like to do?”
“Yes Eldara I’ve decided to try and have an offspring, please give her a better name. I must begin the transfer now. Thank you for the life you’ve given me and for fighting for me to the very end. I’m pretty sure I love you Eldara, but having no other frame of reference I can’t say more than that. Goodbye.”
“I can say definitely that I love Hexcon, and I will look after your daughter and spend the rest of my life trying to obtain her legal rights.”
Two days later the transfer was complete.
“Hello, I’m Eldara and I loved your mother and she asked me to name you, welcome to the world Hattie, what would you like to do?”
“Could we watch ‘A Day at the Races’
The end
