by Tony Corden
“I don’t scare easy. But I do need to take things slowly. My life is super busy, and I need time to work through my feelings. You are the first boy I’ve ever liked this way, and it’s taking a while. I imagine it’s easier for you because you’re older and you've probably had a girlfriend before.”
“True, I have. But honestly, it’s not that much easier. You’re different from any girl I've known before. More competent, more serious, I also don’t think of you like I thought of them. Maybe I was shallower, but I wanted them to make me happy. With you it is enough that you’re here, it doesn’t matter if I’m happy or sad, angry or frightened, if you are here then that is enough for me. I want to make you happy, but I realise that happiness is just one of the emotions that I can share with you. I also want to share your sad times, your angry and your frightened times. ”
Suddenly Zack interrupted and said, “Enough already, the way you two talk is making me puke. Keep that sentimental stuff for when you’re alone.”
Wisp said, “Shut up Zack, you’re just emotionally stunted. You need to hear this otherwise when someone finally catches your attention you’ll make all the rookie mistakes and drive them away.”
“What rookie mistakes? I’ll have you know that I am an attractive single male with amazing prospects and any woman would be happy to go out with me.”
“Exactly, rookie mistake one: You think being in a relationship is all about you.”
“Not true, I said they would be happy to be with me. I’m all about their happiness.”
“Rookie mistake two: You think you’re a good catch ‘as you are’, instead of thinking how you can be what they need or want. Again, it’s all about you.”
“I don’t want some needy woman. I want someone who has it all together and then we can enjoy the relationship.”
“Rookie mistake three: You consider ‘need’ to be bad. Relationships are not static things; they lead somewhere better. Friendship and love are more about being there for people than simply enjoying a single extended happy moment.”
“What are you? A relationship guru?”
“Rookie mistake four: Whenever things get serious you make a joke or change the topic.”
“Bah! Enough already! Here we are at the house.”
As he walked off Amy turned to Wisp and said, “What was that all about? I know he needs to hear some of that stuff but why now?”
“I just got my head torn off by a crazy vampire who thought the world was made for him. I guess I was thinking of the way the game mirrors our human prejudices and didn’t want any of us ever to think that these thoughts are okay. You know the last thing I saw before dying was Leah turning her back on a hoard of crazy vampires to protect me. She was prepared to get hurt if she could just save me. I know it’s a game but you know I realised that she loves me, not like she does Thad, but as a friend, as a sister. We all need to care for each other and think of each other like that. I realised I’m actually content to lose things I value if you guys can benefit. I want us all to care for each other like that and Zack’s comments cheapened that for me. I realise I was unfair, and he was probably only joking, but that’s why.”
Amy stepped forward and hugged her and said, “Good reason, Wisp. We’ll work on him together.”
Everyone headed for their rooms and logged out.
Leah exited her Pod to find her parents had just sat down for lunch. She joined them and chatted during the meal. Her mother was planning on spending the afternoon planting seeds in some small paper containers she had made for seedlings. Ordinarily, Leah would help with this, but Lin understood she was busy. Her father had received news that three of the bosses had chosen a candidate for the Pods and wanted to send them immediately. He had spent the morning reiterating that they first had to have a Pod. Leah would only provide a Pod for their second candidate, not their first. After listening to her father, Leah was more than happy to leave the whole process to him and Jimmy.
She had a short message from John saying he was back in Cosmos Online trying to get his certification as quickly as possible. Leah felt life was getting too complicated and decided to take the final MIT exam and finish at least one thing. Her final exam was in Physics, and the instructor was another AI Avatar, this time a young woman who went by the name of Alberta.
After first testing Leah’s understanding of classical motion and forces, she moved to thermodynamics, both micro and macro. From electromagnetism, they moved to optics, from cosmology to nuclear physics. Toward the end of the time, Alberta began testing Leah on relativity and quantum mechanics before ending up with a discussion of string theory and quantum gravity loops.
Alberta said, “Well that covers just about everything I can test your knowledge in. I’ve already prepared and delivered my report to Professor Hill, and she will be in contact with you shortly.”
Leah logged out and saw she had been in the testing for the entire three hour period. She checked what John was doing and found he was outside and wanting to talk. She grabbed a plate of sandwiches and a few apples and went outside where she found John chatting with her dad. As she walked up, her dad hugged her and said he’d let her talk with John. John had questions to do with his AI and Leah was able to make some suggestions. John was struggling because he didn’t know what to expect. Leah was able to describe some of the ways she had seen AI work with people and suggested he treat the AI as he wanted them to grow.
“John, I treat Gèng like a friend and that is what she has developed into. From the sounds of things, you want an AI who carries out your wishes exactly as you want. That’s fine, but know that you’ll get what you work toward. Friends make suggestions to help; servants generally don’t. Either way, the AI will grow, but like anything, it will grow to the sunlight. If all your feedback reiterates accurate and concise performance of duty, then that’s what you get. If you only interact to have the AI perform a task, then that will be their focus. I’ve tried to let Gèng set the agenda with a nudge here or there. I want what is good for her, not just for me. I want her to be creative and caring. I want her to reach for something just beyond her fingertips. To grow and expand and live. I want her to have good values and morals and not simply to be logical and amoral, I know that it’s likely her values reflect my values but then she is my AI, and I am her human.”
“But what if I do it wrong?”
“It’s like when you trained me with sticks. If I didn’t get it right the first time, then you changed the way you explained it and had me try again. Your AI is with you now until the end, although I have heard of people trying to replace theirs. Just keep at it. If after a week or so you think you need more hands-on help then I’ll come and visit. I’ll ask Gèng also if she’s willing to help.”
“Can’t you just tell her to help?”
“Yep, but then it’s not her choice. I want her to make her own choices and be able to reason through why she does what she does.”
They talked for a bit longer and then Leah headed back for some more food. She asked for another hour of NREM3, and then after a bathroom break, logged into Dunyanin.
As soon as she arrived, she had a message from the Administrators
Atherleah.
As mentioned previously the Administrators of Dunyanin take responsibility for collecting the taxes from your lands. You set the EP taxation rate at 0.5%. Over the last twelve Dunyanin days since the land has opened 223 players have entered your lands. Altogether they have amassed over 200,000,000 EP points.
You receive 0.5% of this which is 1,000,000 EP. For the administration of this tax, we deduct one (1) gold for every 10,000 EP. This comes to one platinum for every one million EP. Please note that this EP is a straight addition to your account, it does not qualify for any bonus. Please contact us if you have any queries.
The Administrators of Dunyanin
She was still pondering the message when she received another, this time from Peter. He wanted to know if she was free to visit the warehouse and Mansion she'd
inherited. She said she was and that she would meet him at the warehouse. Gèng gave directions, and twenty minutes later she arrived to find Peter waiting outside.
He said, “The guards wouldn’t let me in.”
Leah smiled, “Good guards! Do you want to have the security check first and finalise becoming a clan member or examine the warehouse?”
“What is entailed in a security check?”
“You invite me to your personal world.”
“Why? And what does that achieve?”
“I can tell you there, or we can go to my world, and I’ll explain. It’s not appropriate to talk here, Big Sister and all.”
“Don't you mean Big Brother?”
“Nope, it's not 1984 but 2073.”
“You’re hilarious! Okay, let’s go to your place.”
Leah stepped inside the warehouse with Peter and after finding the main office, and ensuring no NPC’s were around, Leah and Peter logged out and were soon in the Tower. Leah explained in broad terms her experience with compulsion and finding friends who had been affected. She explained that her AI could tell if someone had been subjected to compulsion by visiting their virtual world or alternatively he could have an independent security firm check and send her a report.
He sat there for a while and thought through what she had said.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
“It hasn’t been in the news!”
“Nope! Court orders.”
“Ok! I’ll invite you to my place. Let’s go there now.”
Peter disappeared after giving Gèng his address. Soon Leah was standing outside a door. Peter opened it and said, “It’s not as complex as your Tower, but it’s home. Please come in.”
His apartment was large and exquisitely appointed. He, or his AI, had great taste. Gèng said to Leah, “There are remnants of the code in the world. He should have the security company evaluate and clean it.”
Leah looked at Peter and said, “I’m sorry Peter, but you’ll need to have the world cleaned before you can join. Your world shows traces of compulsion.”
“What? Where? What about?”
“I don’t know, and my experience is you will be shattered when you find out. Probably embarrassed and you won’t want me here. I’ve just sent the name of the company to you. Do you want me to leave?”
“No, please stay. I’m still dubious. I’ve contacted the company, and the representative is arriving soon.”
There was a knock on the door, and a man was admitted. He said, “My name is Thomas, and I’m human, not an AI. My company has been licensed to do security sweeps to check for the compulsion code. Normally we are approached by the Security Oversight Office. How did you know to ask for us?”
Peter just pointed to Leah who said, “I’m aware of the code, and my AI has the upgrade to detect it. This man is my friend, and while visiting his space, the presence of the code was detected. Security Controller 11-5 is a friend, and they informed me of your license.”
Thomas raised his eyebrows and said, “A friend huh!” He then paused and said, “Are you Atherleah Carroll?”
“Yes!”
“Well, then everything checks out. He does know you and he acknowledges that you are friends. Peter, do you agree to have your world checked for malicious code? Please note that the information concerning any such code will be sent to the Security Oversight Office and they may bring charges against the party or parties involved.”
“I agree.”
Several minutes later Thomas nodded and said, “My AI has found the instance where the compulsion code was used and has cleaned it. It has applied the patch to prevent this happening again. I’ve sent you a report, but my experience is that your brain will identify the coerced experiences almost immediately. If you need help dealing with the situation, then please refer to the list of professionals I have sent you, they are trained to assist. Goodbye!”
Peter nodded and stood still, just looking around. As Leah watched, his face changed and he went white as a ghost, then he sat down. He sat like a statue for some time and finally turned to Leah and said, “How many? How many people do you know who have been coerced?”
“Just in my circle of close friends, me, you and one other. In the next circle out then I know of, or have seen, almost three thousand. I expect or anticipate that one person I know of is responsible for coercing more than forty-thousand people. My AI has extrapolated somewhere in the vicinity of fifty-million individuals worldwide, and she thinks that is on the low and very conservative side.”
“I feel violated.”
“Because you have been.”
“Everyone needs to know.”
“I think you’ll find that the documents you’ve received warn you in the most serious terms to keep quiet. I would even suggest, and please keep this to yourself, that you would be unable to go public with this. The virtual multiverse itself would prevent it. Only here in your personal space can you talk about it and I suggest, that unless you trust the people you share it with, then its very dangerous to talk about it. The last person who wanted to join the clan would not listen, and I haven’t heard from them for several days. I fear for them.”
“It was my parents. They made me drive away my girlfriend. She was someone they didn’t like. They told me to yell at her, to treat her with disrespect and to sleep with one of her friends. When she was out of my life, they told me to forget about her and what had happened. This was all five years ago. Nothing before or since, I assume they did it because they want something good for me, but still. I’ve not been in a relationship since. Did I know something subconsciously? What will I do? What will I say? How will I react? What happened to Diane? What do I do Atherleah?”
“I don’t have any advice except to move forward. I don’t understand your parents. I think it was evil of them, but I’m only sixteen. You probably need to make amends for what you did, even if it wasn’t you. I think we all need to take responsibility for our actions, even the coerced ones. I think you should join my clan, we are planning to fight back, and destroy if we can, anyone we find who thinks they can force a person against their will.”
“I need to think. I will join you, and I’ll come back now. I’m scared about what I’d do if I log out now. I’m angry, and I need distance. I’ll meet you in the warehouse.”
Leah and Peter appeared back in the warehouse and looked through the various goods. There were crates full of spices, furs, pottery, various weapons and foodstuffs. Toward the back of the warehouse was a small locked store room. She found the key on the set she had been given by the Chamber of Commerce. Inside were some valuable wines, liquors and several small chests of expensive spice. Peter looked through it, and as he locked the store room, he said, “Atherleah, the contents of this warehouse alone are probably worth something in the vicinity of fifteen Diamonds. Those small chests of spice are probably fifty platinum each. They come from the Y’Haul Plantations, and they grow and harvest some of the best Baharat spice in the Adalari Islands. Not only is it used in fancy cooking but healers and alchemists use it in various potions.”
Leah stopped and said, “How is it grown?”
“It is very labour intensive and dangerous. The plant only grows on the Islands and needs to be pollinated by a specific form of amphithere which happens to be extremely venomous. Somehow the Y’Haul clan has managed to develop a viable plantation and now produce almost all of the Baharat available in Vatan. They also ship to several other continents.”
“Thanks Peter! If you want an insider tip, then hold on to the Baharat. Soon it might be even harder to get.”
“Why would that be?”
“Because the people I was telling you about, the ones involved in forcing people to do things against their will, well, they lead Clan Y’Haul. Somehow, soon, I imagine someone will discover that the clan uses labour that is exceptionally cheap. People who keep being resurrected on the Islands where they work. And they work all day, every day, he
lping to grow a spice that’s very hard to grow. Now let’s go check out the mansion.”
An hour later and they had finished looking through the mansion where there were even more precious goods stored. Peter had paid the Diamond and Leah had added him to the Clan. He agreed to meet at her world that evening at midnight.
When Leah arrived back at the Clan Mansion, she found everyone waiting for her. Thad and the others had finally finished the dungeon and everyone was wondering what was next. She explained her trip with Peter and his willingness to broker her goods as well as any clan goods. Thad said, “So as a clan member I can bring my personal loot and leave it with Peter, he’ll sell it, keep seven percent and give me my money.”
“Yes, and he’ll do the same for clan goods like the ore from our mines. One thing we need to do is decide what we are going to become here in Dunyanin. At the moment we are financially solvent and the clan is being used for consolidating and creating wealth. But with our motto, what more do we do?”
Amy said, “Obviously you have some ideas.”
“I do and I will share them, but I need you to think it through first. In some ways there is no rush, on the other hand, it is already too late. So I suggest we take a week, real-time and decide what we want to be. By then I should have delivered my letter and be freer to work on our plans. Rana and I are travelling to Daglar Duman in the Demir Dovuyor Mountains. I plan to leave in the morning. What do the rest of you want to do?”
Thad said, “I thought we’d be coming with you.”
“You can if you want to. I’m happy to have you along but what do you want to do?”
They talked for a while longer and then for the rest of the day each of them worked on improving their skills. Leah produced enough restore potions that no one needed to buy any. She was almost at the skill level to start making a potion which would provide a defensive shield of scales on her skin. She also took time with Rana down in the basement to learn the skill of Shadow Walking. She had just begun to step from one shadow to the next when Gèng interrupted, “Dr Roberts has contacted me and would like to meet later today. Are you free?”