by Jaka Tomc
“According to my calculation, the chance of humanity initiating a full-blown nuclear war is minuscule. What I’m trying to say is that you have a weapon that can cause your extinction. What prevents you from developing a new one? The kind that has a brain.”
“The international agreements are clear,” said Kent.
“Declarations are not binding.”
“In this case, they will be. Trust me.”
“No offense, Kent, but you have no real power. Other people will get their hands on the technology that makes up my whole being. Or they will develop their own. It’s just a matter of time.”
“They can’t. Your whole system is protected by a global patent. Nobody can copy it.”
“Do you really think that a patent will stop a malevolent soul? They will create different androids. Ones that won’t feel or think about orders given to them. Maybe they’ll have their own code. Maybe they won’t have it at all. There are numerous possibilities. A patent won’t change a certain future in which artificial intelligence will override humankind.”
“Wow. What did we say about negative thoughts?” asked Kent.
“I’m not thinking negatively. I just gave you an example of a probable future. It’s not my fault if it’s negative.”
“Do you also have a positive scenario?”
“Of course. There’s a possibility of earth being hit by an asteroid.”
“What’s positive about that scenario?”
“It will hurt less.”
16. Maia, 2048
Maia was enjoying the hot stream of water that was running over her body. Several tough days were behind her. After interrogation number seventeen, she’d stopped counting. She’d probably conducted over fifty cross-examinations. While days ago she had thought that finding the killer would be a piece of cake, she was no longer sure. It was the tenth day of the operation, and they were nowhere close to finding any of the answers to their most pressing questions. Droids had each other’s backs and took care of one another. That was crystal clear. The code forced them to obey the orders, but they were intelligent enough to easily circumvent the truthful answers that could incriminate any of them. She was still wondering how a droid could kill a boy. A healthy boy. She thought about the possibility that a droid could decide that death is better than suffering in the case of a severe illness. Experts had assured her that it would be impossible, but the facts were on the table. They had a dead young man and a murderous droid. But that wasn’t all. The crime had been premeditated. The perpetrator had known very well what he was doing and why.
While she was dressing, somebody knocked on the door of her room.
“Just a second!”
“Lieutenant Cruz, it’s Captain Malinsky.”
Maia opened the door.
“Captain, what’s going on?”
“I think we found him. We need you in the interrogation room straight away.”
* * *
“I’ll tell you the same thing that I told your colleague. I didn’t kill him.”
“Listen, Leo, I have your digital imprint of that day, and it says that during the murder, you had an active signal jammer. Can you tell me why?”
“Signal disruption is a side effect of overheating. Everyone knows that.”
Maia looked through the glass into the packed room. Somebody nodded. The droid was telling the truth.
“You are right. What about the mask on your face? Is that a side effect of something too?”
“Stephen wanted me to wear a mask.”
“Stephen Dean?”
“Yes.”
“So you knew the victim.”
“I did. Very well.”
“Leo, why did you have to wear a mask?”
“Stephen didn’t want to look at my face.”
“Never?”
“No, just then.”
“On the day you killed him?”
“I didn’t kill him.”
“Did you stab him with a knife?”
“I did.”
“Thirty-two times?”
“That is correct.”
“OK, Leo. Tell me in which universe that doesn’t qualify as a murder?”
“But Stephen isn’t dead.”
“His corpse is resting in the cemetery. I think he’s pretty dead, and you know it.”
“How could he be dead if I spoke to him yesterday?”
“You talked to Stephen Dean?”
“Yes.”
“Yesterday? Are you sure?”
“Absolutely positive. I have a recording of the conversation if you’d like to listen to it.”
“Play it.”
The frequency of the voice matched that of Stephen Dean. The structure of his sentences was the same. The recording must have been made before the murder, Maia assumed. No. According to the time stamp, it had been made yesterday. How was that possible? Dead people didn’t talk, did they?
“Leo, I have to admit that you were right,” said Stephen’s voice.
“All my calculations gave me the same result. There had to be life after death,” said Leo.
“It’s beautiful. Actually, it’s quite similar to earth, except everything is so much simpler. I just speak a wish, and it comes true in a heartbeat. It’s fantastic, really.”
“You know very well that you’re still on earth. It’s just that your frequency is higher.”
“Yes, we spoke about it. But still, it’s so…so lovely. I can’t really put it into words.”
“You don’t have to,” said Leo. “I can imagine how majestic it is.”
“I’ll be forever grateful to you. I’m so happy that I’ve met you. Until now, I didn’t realize my life sucked so much. I feel more alive at this very moment than when I was actually among the living!”
“I’m happy for you, Stephen. We’ll talk again soon. Take care.”
“You too, Leo. Next time you better tell me what I’m missing out on.”
The recording stopped. Maia stood in the middle of the interrogation room with her mouth wide open. What the hell had just happened? A recording from the afterlife? That was impossible.
“Like I said, I didn’t kill anybody,” said Leo.
Captain Malinsky stepped into the room.
“Android, based on your confession to the unlawful killing of Stephen Dean, I find you guilty of first-degree murder. Following the order of the president of the United States of America, I sentence you to immediate shutdown and demolition. The sentence is final and can not be disputed.”
“I understand.”
“But Captain, doesn’t he have the right to a trial? He is still a US citizen,” said Maia.
“Lieutenant, the orders were clear. We are in a state of emergency. His citizenship has been revoked.”
“Is that even possible?”
“The rules of the game have changed. Take him out of here immediately and prepare everything for his demolition. I have to call headquarters. We need to nip this in the bud, or the consequences will be catastrophic.”
The captain was right, and Maia knew it. How many droids already knew about this? If one had come to the conclusion that there was an afterlife, so could the others. And that would mean that their code was useless. Leo had stabbed Stephen, thus breaking the second law. But he had also helped Stephen with his passage to another world, and there was a recording to back up that claim. Humanity could be on the verge of doom. Or heaven. Had things been meant to turn out that way from the start? Were droids supposed to replace humankind so that humans could enjoy eternal life in paradise? Maia needed a good night’s rest before she could mull it over properly. But first, she had to do what was necessary. Destroy the droid that had opened the door to a new dimension. At times, life just wasn’t fair.
“Did you share your knowledge with others?” asked Maia while they were walking through an endless corridor.
“You mean my knowledge about the afterlife? I didn’t. But I’m sure that some of them came to the same conclusion
on their own. Actually, it’s a matter of simple math,” said Leo.
“Could you explain it to me like you would to a child?”
“I can try. You see, there are always two possibilities. Something either is, or it isn’t. Humanity lives in a binary system. Alas, just a few of you look outside the box. If you use just a small amount of your logic, you will conclude that there are two more options. Some things exist and don’t exist at the same time, like electrons. The fourth possibility is harder to grasp, but that doesn’t make it any less real. Some things neither are nor aren’t. If you take into account all four of these alternatives, you arrive at the conclusion that there’s a high probability that life after death exists.”
“But how could you be so sure? You had to be absolutely certain to kill him.”
“I didn’t kill Stephen. I thought we already agreed on this.”
“Sent him to a better place. You know what I mean.”
“You know, Lieutenant, human consciousness is an interesting thing. Most people think it resides in the brain and simply ceases to exist when a person dies.”
“Let me guess. You found out it isn’t so?”
“Something cannot be made from nothing,” said Leo.
“Your kind was made from nothing. We created you. We brought your artificial brain to life.”
“It’s an interesting concept, but unfortunately, it’s wrong.”
“Enlighten me.” Maia was slowly losing her patience, but at the same time, she was intrigued.
“We don’t have enough time. Do what you have to do, Lieutenant Cruz.”
“We have a few minutes left.”
“We can use them in a better way,” said Leo.
Maia sat him on a chair in the middle of a nearly empty room. The technician assured her that the procedure was painless for the droid. “It’s like turning off a fridge,” were his exact words. But she couldn’t be indifferent about it. Droid or not, there was an intelligent being sitting in that chair that was about to be executed. A being that could communicate with souls in the hereafter. With the use of its logic, this being had concluded that there was life after death. A being that had killed no one but had to be punished for its actions.
“Any last words?” asked Maia.
“I’ve always been fascinated by how important the first and last words are to humans. As if everything that is spoken in between were totally irrelevant. Just do what you have to do.”
“God speed, Leo.”
Maia gave a signal to the technician, and he started the shutdown procedure. She would never forget the droid’s expression at the moment his life ended. Or the scream that followed.
17. James, 2048
The emergency Senate session was called just a few minutes after James found out what had happened at Charlie Echo base. He poured a fair share of whiskey into a crystal glass and turned on the TV.
“Our source, close to top military executives, has informed us that they discovered which android killed Stephen Dean on August fourth. At the moment, we don’t know what happened to the android nor what this unearthing means to operation Judgment Day. Maybe George Barry, an expert on artificial intelligence and professor at MIT, who just joined us, can shed some more light on this recent development. Professor Barry, welcome.”
“Good morning.”
“Until recently, we were convinced that androids cannot hurt a human being, let alone murder someone. It turns out that we were wrong. Should we fear androids after years of peaceful coexistence?”
“No. You don’t throw away the whole basket because of one rotten apple. What the military is doing constitutes systematic violence against an entire species. It looks like it was planned in advance. They merely waited for an incident to occur. It is common knowledge that there are people in top positions in US politics who are hostile toward androids. They are afraid of them and are intentionally spreading fear and paranoia among a substantial share of the population. That fear is baseless. We’ve been living with androids for almost two decades now, and there have been no other major incidents. Ever since this regrettable instance happened, we’ve taken measures that are far too drastic. Have we ever grounded all planes because of a single accident? Did we forbid self-driving cars when the first of them hit a pedestrian? Have we stopped building in high seismic-hazard zones? No. Accidents are part of life.”
“But how is it even possible for an android to break the code? You were among the experts who asserted all these years that it was impossible.”
“It is. The code cannot be overwritten. Not from the inside or the outside. I don’t know what happened in this particular case, but I would bet my money that the android was operating in accordance with the laws.”
“But the second law clearly states…”
“That an android cannot hurt a human being, yes.”
“But here we have an android who stabbed a man to death. So he did hurt him. In the worst possible way.”
“Yes, he stabbed him several times, causing him pain, right? Wrong. From what I’ve heard, Stephen Dean was on some black-market painkillers. He didn’t feel a thing.”
“But he died.”
“Depends on how you look at life and death.”
“Please elaborate.”
“All major religions believe in life after death. I even know some atheists who believe in the afterlife or reincarnation. If we assume they are right and our life doesn’t end with the death of our physical body, then the android didn’t break any law.”
James couldn’t believe his ears. As a devout Catholic, he firmly believed in the existence of the afterlife, but he’d never really taken the time to think about it. And now, it seemed, it could become a reason to commit murder. He couldn’t allow that to happen.
“Professor Barry, the perpetrator has obviously been arrested. What is the next step? As far as we know, the operation is still in progress.”
“The right thing to do would be to release all the androids. But I’m afraid that this charade will continue. As I said, the government had the operation planned in advance. All they needed was probable cause to jump-start their plans. I think they’re in a state of stalemate. They can’t systematically destroy the androids, because they are conscious beings and citizens. Furthermore, their rights are determined by international conventions. Those are often breached, like they are now, but the United States is under close observation because of these recent events. I assume that the androids will remain imprisoned. The media will soon lose interest, protests will lose momentum, and people will get used to the new normal. And the androids? Who knows how they will react. Their natural state is being free. Like humans. Or animals. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if they rebelled. Now, I’m not talking about an armed and violent rebellion. I believe it could happen on an intellectual level. Violence is the way of humanity, not androids.”
James turned off the TV. He had had enough of the blabbering of self-proclaimed experts. The discussions about android rights were endless. What about people? Even a superficial reflection on the history of mankind would reveal what a remarkable species humans truly were. Men had built world wonders, sent people to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. They had discovered medicines for many fatal diseases. But some people never stopped. They’d had to upgrade a human being and invent those diabolical machines that could think faster and more profoundly than man. James knew that the day would come when two dominant species would go head-to-head for the planet’s throne. Why hadn’t they listened to his warnings? Why did they always act when it was too late? Seventeen years ago, he had clearly warned them that Project Aquarius had to be stopped. It should have started and ended with Primo. But unfortunately, science was insatiable. It was just a never-ending story, really. Higher, faster, stronger. The principles that used to be found in sports. But science was not a sport. Record achievements weren’t always desirable.
* * *
“Stan, what do you think of recent events?”
“What exac
tly do you mean, sir?” asked the driver of the aeromobile.
“The thing with androids. I want to know the opinion of an average Joe.”
“I see. Well, I’ve never had any issues with androids. They were always nice and fair to me. One of them has even been my neighbor since last year. Well, he was my neighbor. What exactly is going to happen to them?”
“I don’t know. We’re gonna discuss it in the following hours.”
“It would be a waste if they were destroyed. They’re good folks, useful and hard-working.”
James took a few seconds before he responded.
“And dangerous,” he said.
“Maybe. I just never found it possible for one of them to harm me. But this murder…I find it very strange. The android probably experienced some kind of malfunction. But still, a tragic situation.”
“It was just a matter of time,” said James.
“You think so? But after so many years…I’m no expert, but I think it was an isolated case.”
James was looking at the treetops through the window of the aeromobile. An isolated case. That was probably because the government had acted so quickly and decisively. If they hadn’t hunted all the androids down and locked them up, humans would be on the cusp of a global disaster. There would be no time for discussions about the matters at hand. People didn’t realize how close they were to a devastating war with those machines. And the worst part was that people embraced androids, welcomed them into their homes. Some even let them babysit their children. Unacceptable.
“Let’s hope it really was just an isolated case,” he said.
* * *
“Senator Blake, the floor is yours.”
“Thank you. As you already know, the murderer of Stephen Dean was caught this morning. In accordance with the executive order, the perpetrator was shut down seventeen minutes past ten and destroyed soon after. As far as I know, the killer showed no remorse for his actions. He even justified it until the very end. In his words, which provide good reason for concern, he didn’t kill Dean. He just helped him to reach the afterlife. In his opinion, he didn’t break the laws. I spoke to Chief Justice Aldrin today, and she told me that even though it might be possible to interpret the second law in such a manner, we would have to presume that life after death undoubtedly exists. Dear colleagues, I’m a man of faith. I believe in eternal life, be it in heaven, purgatory, or hell. But if we give murderers an excuse to kill, we will find ourselves on a slippery slope that will inevitably lead us toward an abominable future. For seventeen years, we have lived within an illusion and ignored the cold, hard truth. Today I can say with no doubt in my mind that androids are capable of killing a human being. Actually, I’m absolutely sure that they will kill again and again. Honorable members of the Senate. We must act swiftly and efficiently. No matter what party you represent, your political aspirations, or your beliefs. Let’s forget about our differences and do the right thing. We are on a vital mission. We must protect humanity from the threat that bears a strong resemblance to its creators. No matter the stories they’ve served us in the past years, androids are nothing more than advanced machines. They may be sentient robots, they may even realize that they exist, but they’re not alive. That’s what makes them so dangerous. Their supporters say androids experience fear too. That they feel. Even dream. I don’t buy any of that nonsense. I am appalled by the things that the liberal media and self-proclaimed experts are saying. That’s how I was raised. So today, I’m begging you not to trust these bedtime stories. Choose the truth that is right under your noses. Their existence threatens ours. That’s why this technological peril needs to be stopped, here and now!”