by Gadi Migdal
Ella nodded firmly and interrupted the conversation, “And what about you, Commander? Are you okay? I didn’t see any sign of distress while you slept.”
“I’m fine, Ella, thanks. I wasn’t aware of the Whole members fainting.”
“The Whole let you go on dreaming and left you disconnected from it until the end of the dream,” General Bud explained.
Nola flinched in surprise. Had she been disconnected from the Whole? Could it disconnect her as it pleased?
A feeling of apologetic embrace filled her suddenly. The Whole had done what it had to do in order to protect itself.
“So, the Whole didn’t experience the entire dream?” Ella was surprised.
“That’s right, Dr. Ella, just the beginning of it.” General Bud turned to Guy, “why did you enjoy your dream so much, Mr. Guy?”
“It’s hard to explain, General,” Guy answered. “You say that the Whole is afraid of artificial memories. I enjoyed them. In 6 hours of sleep, I accumulated the memories of months. Those memories feel real even now. The smells were real. The taste of the meat that I hunted was real. The lovemaking with my concubines was real. I can definitely understand why humans are addicted to this feeling. As Laura said, with the machine you can experience thousands of life cycles. That’s a very special feeling.”
“But ultimately those are just false memories, not real experiences,” the General was bewildered.
“So what, General, what’s the difference?” Tom asked. “Humans that use the machine really remember things. They feel that they really happened to them. There is no difference between a false experience and a real one.”
“The difference is in the usability, deputy commander. As far as the Whole is concerned, memory means accumulated knowledge and experience. On the other hand, it seems that for humans, a memory is just a potential source of pleasure.”
“What’s wrong with pleasure, General?”
“It’s unnecessary, deputy commander. It has no useful value.”
Tom chuckled, “It seems that despite being an intelligent entity, the Whole still has much to learn about life.”
“Whole members can’t dream,” Andre suddenly declared. “Right, General? Is that the reason that you were so eager to try the machine yourself?”
The general looked up at him in sharp surprise. “You’re right, Engines Officer,” she said.
“The Whole doesn’t dream, that’s the reason I wanted to try it. Maybe that’s also the reason that the Whole is unable to understand your need for dreaming.”
“Maybe a different kind of dream would suit the Whole,” Andre suggested. “A dream with content and information that could be useful to the Whole.”
“A useful false memory? A very interesting idea indeed, Engines Officer!”
“Who creates these stories anyway?” asked Maya.
“I checked that - brains,” answered Guy. “The machines were developed by brains, and the stories were written by brains. As usual among us humans, the artificial intelligences do everything for us.”
“Really?” Maya was surprised. “According to your descriptions, the stories are so detailed and imaginative. I was sure that humans wrote them.”
“Actually, brains have an advantage over humans. Thanks to their enormous databases, they can fabricate endless stories,” said Guy.
“It’s pretty simple, actually,” added Andre. “They figured out which kinds of stories people like and now they can easily duplicate them with adjustments.”
“In other words, there are really just a few dream models, of different types, that everyone is experiencing over and over again,” said Ella. “Sounds pretty boring. Not something I would enjoy.”
“I actually enjoyed the experience,” said Nola, surprising herself. “The level of detail and sensory experience were amazing. It feels real, while I was dreaming, that was my life. But now it feels weird and ridiculous.” Somewhere in the depths of her mind she felt the Whole smile.
“I also enjoyed the dream,” Guy agreed. “I really enjoyed it. Which is why I want us to take apart these machines.”
“What?” Andre was alarmed. “Why? Do you realize how much work we put into them?”
“For the same reason that the Earth domes don’t want connection, Andre,” Guy replied. “It’s too risky.”
“Guy, are you afraid of becoming addicted?” asked Ella.
“Absolutely,” Guy answered.
“But we could set up barriers,” protested Andre. “It’s unreasonable to blame the machines for human weakness. We can limit our usage.”
“It won’t work, Andre. You heard what Laura said. You know what’s happening to people all over the galaxy. Willpower isn’t enough here.”
“We can overcome it. I can program the machines so that they won’t agree to let anyone use it more than a certain number of hours a month.”
“Guy is right, Andre,” said Maya, placing her hand gently on his arm. “We have to dismantle the machines. It’s too risky. Whoever wants to use it will find ways to bypass your programming.”
Andre looked at her for a long moment before speaking. “Oh Maya. After all of our work. It’s just sad.” He turned and looked at Guy. “But you’re right, Guy, I’ll dismantle them.”
The Whole wanted to know something, so Nola asked, “Andre, before you take them apart, could you explain to me how they work?”
“Honestly, no, Commander. The assembly instructions are on the network and it’s easy to print the parts. The content itself can be streamed from the network, but I have no idea how the machines work,” Andre answered.
“But if they are so simple to assemble, why does nobody on Neifar use them?” Nola insisted.
Andre stared at her in surprise. “I don’t know, Commander. That’s a good question,” he finally said.
“Maybe the council blocks downloading of the machine content?” Ella suggested.
“As Maya already mentioned, it’s not hard to overcome a barrier like that,” said Andre. “I really don’t know why nobody uses them. I never heard of anyone on Neifar even considering using them.”
“But the older residents of Neifar visit foreign planets all the time,” Nola pointed out. “Were you never tempted to try the machine on some faraway planet?”
Guy grinned, “No, Commander. We didn’t really have such opportunities. In the last fifty years, everyone has been sleeping so we don’t land or meet the people face to face. Mostly we speak with enhanced animals or brains. Occasionally, we meet with some sleepy person, who happens to be awake. Deals are made from afar; the moment that payment is approved, we send a hovercraft to them with the products that they ordered.”
Maya shook her head firmly. “Still, Guy. The commander is right. If we wanted access to a machine on a foreign planet, we could get it. And apart from that, how is it possible that no city resident has ever tried putting a machine together on his own?”
“Maybe we just haven’t heard about it,” said Ella. “Maybe there are city people who use them secretly.”
“It would have been found out by now, Ella. The city is small, and everyone knows everybody else. Anyway, People aren’t good at keeping secrets for a long time. It’s just not possible,” argued Guy.
“It is not only possible; it has even happened in the past,” Tom suddenly said.
Everyone looked to him in silence.
“It wasn’t made public. The council has been aware of this for decades now,” Tom went on. “There were people, in the past, who assembled or tried to assemble dreaming machines. But these were rare cases, and to the best of my knowledge, there were less than twenty such instances. All were found out by the council. The machines were destroyed when they were discovered.”
“Less than twenty instances in the last fifty years?” Guy was amazed.
“No,” Tom shook his hea
d. “Less than twenty instances in the history of the city.”
“How is it that we never heard about it?” Maya demanded.
“Because the council believes that some information is best kept from the public, in order to protect the city,” replied Tom.
“That’s scandalous! The council is meant to be just a governing body. It doesn’t have the right to hide information from the city residents.”
There was an unpleasant silence in the room.
“Okay, I’ll go and dismantle the machines,” said Andre as he exited.
“I’ll help you,” Maya said and followed him.
The rest quickly scattered. Nola and the general remained alone in the room.
“I’m beginning to see that it’s easier to be a member of the Whole than a resident of the city,” joked Nola.
“I could have told you that, Your Honor.”
“So, what is your opinion on the city residents’ willpower, General? Why is it that almost nobody from the city wants to use the machines? In its thousand years of existence, less than twenty people have put together dream machines, why?”
“It is truly impressive, Your Honor. Moreover, highly intriguing. We must understand how they mustered that degree of willpower!”
“We grow up with a lot of rules. Grant said that there are rules against dream machines. Maybe the city residents are just used to obeying and are afraid to break the law?”
“No, Your Honor, Maya is right, such behavior would not suit humans,” smiled the General.
“I know,” Nola admitted. “But what other explanation do you have?”
“I don’t know, Your Honor, but if we want to help humanity, we should find the explanation. That’s the only way we can achieve this journey’s goal,” said General Bud.
The journey’s goal?
Nola looked at her searchingly. “General, you said that the Whole designated you for this journey. I am curious to know, what characteristics you have – apart from your impressive lifespan – that equips you for the journey?”
The general laughed. “I wondered when we would continue this conversation. Well, let’s see, I am stronger than any regular whole member, and I have the ability to communicate with humans and to understand them. I have human behaviors; I am extroverted and able to think flexibly. I have the ability to feel empathy, and I even have a sense of humor, Your Honor.”
“I think that that one needs more work,” Nola noted drily.
The general smiled. “Good joke, Your Honor.”
“What other characteristics do you have?”
“Analysis and data processing, similar to that of a regular coordinator, even if it’s nowhere close to your strength, but my primary characteristic is apparent.”
Nola scanned the general closely. What was special about her? “You’ll have to give me a hint, General, I don’t see anything that stands out. What is your primary characteristic?”
“Really, Your Honor, I am sure that you don’t need a hint, but so be it. Think in botanical terms.”
Nola laughed, “I have no idea what botanical term to think of. Maybe you can just tell me?”
“I have a name, Your Honor,” replied the general.
She had never noticed that! How could that be? How could she not have noticed that fact? Nobody in the cluster had a name. They had roles. They had tasks. When Nola coordinated cluster activity, she simply sent orders to whichever cluster member seemed suited to the task. Work had to be done and was delegated to the cluster members without any need for speaking. Even the egg-layer didn’t have a name - she was simply the egg-layer. Apart from the time when Nola thought of her as a she-slave, Nola recalled guiltily.
But the general had her name - General Bud.
Why?
“General, why do you have a name?”
“In order to remind me and the Whole of my mission.”
“What is the meaning of your name, General?”
“Your honor, a bud is an accumulation of embryonic cells that have not yet undergone a screening process. The bud can develop into a stem, branch, leaf or flower,” the general recited calmly.
“I know what the botanical meaning of the word is,” Nola replied impatiently. “What is the meaning for you and for the swarming?”
The general smiled. “Exactly the same meaning, Your Honor.”
“General, are you claiming that you are a cumulation of cells that have not yet undergone selection?” Nola asked, at the same moment realizing that the answer was positive.
“You are the bud of some new thing,” she said in amazement.
“Correct, Your Honor,” Bud replied.
Nola reconsidered everything she knew about the mission. “So actually, you are the main component of this swarming, and not the egg-layer.”
“Not exactly, Your Honor, you also have an important role.”
“Me?” Nola wondered. “I’m just a coordinator, my role is to bring the Singa safely to the destination chosen by the Whole.”
“The Whole believes that through the journey we will discover that you are of great importance,” Bud smiled.
A feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment suddenly filled her and embraced her. The Whole believed in her and her abilities to aid in the mission’s success.
Nola found herself smiling. “Bud, are the egg-layer and the other swarm members on deck destined to carry out a swarming and populate other planets or is the Whole swarming a cover story?”
“It is possible that there will be a swarming, Your Honor, but first and foremost, they are meant to assist us. Their role is to ensure the existence of an active and supportive cluster during the time needed to carry out our goal,” Bud answered calmly.
Nola looked at the cluster member and digested what she was saying. “Bud, what are you going to develop into?” she asked quietly.
“I don’t know, Your Honor. At this point, nobody knows.”
Chapter 24
Clifford
Mom. I can read! I can even write!
If Dad were still alive, he would definitely start singing with happiness; one of his children learned to read and write!
And you know what the weirdest thing is, Mom? It only took a few hours.
No traveling teacher, no heavy board that has to be cleaned and no expensive notebooks. I just put a weird hat on my head and fell asleep with it. I woke up knowing how to read and write and even math. Math, Mom!
Would you believe it? They call this hat a learning helmet, and everyone in the palace uses them.
Ah, I wish you could see me Mom, but Tomas forbids us from contacting our families. And by the way, Mom, he’s not really a god, he’s a person. A regular, very scary person.
In any case, Lucy says that we must not defy Tomas. “Defy’... would you believe that a child of yours would know words like that?
Lucy is smart, I think she was smart even before she put on the helmet, and she’s even smarter now. She’s going to be a doctor, but not like the doctors that come to the house and take care of you in exchange for some food. She will be a real doctor. Like in the stories of the old days, the type of doctor who knew how to heal everything, with their machines and medicines.
Lucy forbade me from trying to contact you, Mom, but because she is so smart, she suggested that instead, I write you letters and tell you everything in them, as though you were here beside me. It’s just a pretend since you will never receive them, and even if you did, there’s nobody to read them to you since Dad died. It’s sad, but Lucy explained to me that it’s in your best interest. Thomas would not hesitate to kill you and the little ones if he thought I did anything against his orders.
So, this is my first letter to you Mom.
I miss you guys, the conversations before bed, the daily chores, the simple food, being covered with kisses by the little on
es every morning. But most of all I miss your embrace and your wisdom. I am afraid, Mom. I’m so afraid. Everything is weird here. Everyone is hurrying all the time. Everyone is so educated.
You know that I was never brave, Mom; I remember seeing the anxiety and astonishment in your eyes when I insulted Tomas. I shouted at him during the meal because I was afraid that afterward, you would discover that I had broken your old pot, the one you got from your grandmother.
The ultimate irony was that instead of dying, there on the spot, it was decided that I should live like a prince and get an education that few are privileged to receive. Lucy laughed when I told her that; she then stroked my head and told me I’m silly, but not a coward. If I had been a coward, I wouldn’t have dared even to think of insulting the god, it would have been better to just annoy you. I laughed too and told her that she never saw you get mad.
Tristian says that Tomas isn’t that bad, and he only is trying to test our loyalty. He says that in the future, Tomas will let us visit our parents. Lucy laughs when he says that. I don’t know who’s right, Tristian is also smart, but I think that Lucy is smarter. You would love her Mom, I trust her.
Anyway, Tomas requires all of us to specialize in a particular field. Everyone chose their field really easily. Lucy wants to be a doctor, Tristian, a communications engineer, Munar is studying philosophy and history, Noris is studying security (which isn’t surprising because she is the toughest girl in the world). That’s how every kid chose what they want to study, but I couldn’t decide, and Munar started to get mad.
One day it changed, poor Nora was studying botany, and then Tomas killed her. She was really nice to me. Like Lucy, but in a different way. So, I decided that I will study botany in her memory. Every day I study thousands of kinds of plants, most of them don’t even exist in our world, but it’s really fun and interesting. There are many plants that grow around the house that are edible or could be used to feed the animals, but I never had a clue that we had available food in the nearby field. Knowledge is power, Mom; knowledge is hope for a better future. One day everyone in the world will understand that.