Artificial Absolutes (Jane Colt Book 1)

by Mary Fan

  Yet, Adam knew there had to be a greater force at work within him, one older than the stars and at once mighty and uncertain. It was an aspect that long baffled those who examined the minds of organic beings, prompting endless scientific and philosophical debates as to whether humans were endowed with some mysterious, immaterial quality beyond rational comprehension, or if they were as mechanical as he was, and all perceptions of free will merely a well-constructed illusion.

  In his case, the argument could be settled by pointing to one basic fact: He had been wired to act and react in certain ways—almost literally. Adam chose not to believe that for an equally basic reason: He was all too familiar with the slow and effortful deliberations of conscious attention, of forming decisions driven by more than competing variables, and of pondering matters long past and unchangeable.

  During his years studying with the Via—the years he remembered—he’d learned that in the end, no matter what the internal whisperings said, he was the only one who could decide which actions to take. Pandora had done her best to command him, to control him like a puppet, and he’d resisted. That resistance made him certain he was more than her instrument.

  He’d disobeyed the many commands telling him to run as far as he could from Jane despite the strange light her presence brought him since their first meeting, when she’d ranted against everything he was supposed to have stood for. Far from offending him, he’d found her captivating—hardly sweet or subtle, but beautiful in her strength and quirks. Her passion and honesty had an inexplicable pull for him, a pull that had overridden the dire warnings and loud inhibitions cautioning him that she could only bring him harm, even with the best of intentions.

  Someday, Jane, I’ll wish we’d never met, he had thought. But I don’t care. For a chance to know you, I’ll let you break my heart.

  Jane, you’re poison, another part of him had whispered. You will destroy me.

  Adam wasn’t sure which of those reservations had been planted and which had been honest fears. The more logical ones, the ones calling her a distraction from his career, must have come from Pandora. There was also Jane’s proximity to Sarah—Pandora probably didn’t want two of her AIs interacting.

  Career ambition had never been Adam’s focus anyway. At times, he’d been tempted to reach for a position of influence. Something far more potent led him to defy that enticing route and pursue the things that had more meaning for him, things he knew Pandora thought were a waste of time.

  Adam understood why she had recalled him. He was supposed to be perfect, supposed to win over the hearts and minds and souls of trillions and mold them to serve her purposes, whatever they might be. He’d flouted her every wish and command for things that could never have mattered to her.

  Upon learning the truth, that he was an artificial being, Adam had initially been overwhelmed by disbelief and bitter doubt. If the one thing he’d thought was entirely his—his very self—could be fake, then what was he?

  And then Jane, the one the ominous voices in his head warned would destroy him, reminded him what really mattered. Her willingness to accept him when he couldn’t accept himself only brought him more pain, for it made the pull she had over him unbearably acute even though he could never expect anything in return.

  No sense lay in continuing to dwell on something he couldn’t change. Adam wouldn’t let his bizarre circumstances, unthinkable as they were, destroy the very nature of who he was. He had to hold onto the things he knew were true, even if they were technically falsehoods.

  Certain things could never be broken. Adam still believed in one Absolute Being, invisible and omnipresent, silent and omniscient, still and omnipotent. Although discovering his true nature initially caused him to question his faith, it came to reaffirm his belief. He could only thank the power of the Absolute for giving him his own life. Ultimately, he didn’t need that or any other kind of reasoning to feel the divine presence surrounding all things and simply know it was real.

  Jane would scoff at that. She was something else Adam held unwaveringly in the face of everything, something rare and true in the uncertain universe. The way he felt about her would never change, even if he would one day have to watch her walk away.

  Faced with the possibility of becoming trapped in his own consciousness, Adam had to hold on to those beliefs more than ever if he wanted to return to the real world—whatever that meant. He wrapped his fingers around the Via pendant, forgetting for a moment that it was a poison he had to take to slay the beast it was intended for, and its heat consumed him…

  Artificial. Adam regarded the flawless virtu-world he’d entered, with its straight lines and smooth surfaces.

  He stood outside a rendering of the magnificent Via Temple of Lyrona, wearing Counselor robes and the crest of a Via Superior. Tens of thousands of congregants took their seats inside. An intimidating, thousand-voice choir intoned an introductory song. There were lifelike details and an uncanny resemblance to reality, but it was easily distinguishable from the physical world he knew. It seemed so blatantly simulated that he wondered how Pandora was supposed to fall for it.

  Then again, it had been designed specifically for her. Perhaps that was why it seemed so absurdly unreal to him. That was her version of a perfect world, the one she’d intended him for.

  All right, I’ve seen it. Now, how do I leave?

  Adam looked up at the azure sky, remembering how he’d left the last few virtu-worlds. He found a barely perceptible break in the clouds. Moments later, the world narrowed into a point of light.

  That was easy enough.

  Adam entered the counterfeit Blue Tang’s computer system, recalling Riley’s instructions as to how to navigate the veiling devices.

  “You’re back.” Jane sounded relieved. “How was it?”

  “If anything, it’s easier to leave than other virtu-worlds I’ve been to,” Adam replied. “I’ll go in and out of it a few more times, but I don’t see myself confusing it for the real world anytime soon.”

  “Good. By the way, it’s gonna take four days to reach Aurudise-Three. Damn Fringe planet. Should give you plenty of time to find Pandora.”

  Devin looked up from the control screen. “Jane, go check the status of the ship in the engine room.”

  Jane angled her head skeptically. “You do realize I know nothing about starship mechanics, right?”

  “Just make sure all the lights are green and all the gauges say ‘normal.’”

  “Okay, that I can do.” She got up and left the cockpit.

  As soon as she was gone, Devin turned to Adam. “Once you find Pandora, you must go with her, no matter what, understand? No matter what. Whatever’s happening on our end, whatever goes wrong, you make sure to go with her into that central computer—and nowhere else.”

  “Of course.” Adam wondered why Devin repeated something they’d been over multiple times.

  “Remember, she’ll be able to see right through you, to read what you’re thinking. You have to believe anything you tell her, or she’ll know you’re lying.”

  “I’m sure the Snare will be the last thing on my mind when I meet my creator.”

  “It’s not only that.” Devin paused. “She’ll want to know why you’ve decided to surrender, and you can’t let her know the truth. She has to believe you’ve given up. When you ask her to reprogram you, you’ll be telling her to take your soul.”

  I hadn’t thought of it that way. Everything Adam believed in, everything he’d told himself about holding on, would give him away in an instant. He suddenly felt powerless to carry out a plan that had seemed so simple. “What should I do?”

  “Give up,” Devin said bluntly. “Find a way to believe that feeling nothing is better than having to face the pain of being human.”

  “But… But I don’t…”

  “Not long ago, you w
ere so distraught you could barely speak. That’s what Pandora needs to see if she’s to believe you want to become an emotionless machine. And we both know it wasn’t entirely about AIs.”

  He started to say something else but stopped as the cockpit door opened.

  Jane entered. “Everything’s good in the engine room. Don’t know why you made me trek back there.”

  “Just wanted to be sure,” Devin said.

  “You’re so paranoid.” Jane turned to Adam. “What’s wrong?”

  Adam couldn’t tell her, but it would be pointless to deny that anything bothered him. “I’m just nervous about meeting Pandora and seeing what she’s like.”

  Jane made a face. “If it starts to suspect anything, for freak’s sake, run. That bitch is scary.”

  “Adam,” Devin said. “She’ll get you in, and she’ll get you out. Understand?”

  Adam nodded.

  Jane sat down. “Were you guys talking about Pandora?”

  “Yes.” Adam hoped she wouldn’t see through him. “Anyway, I’ll return to the Networld now. Shouldn’t take long to find her.”

  Jane called after him, “I’ll say it again, and I don’t care if I’m being a nag: Be careful!”

  Adam returned to the vast abyss of gray lines. He looked around, wondering where to begin.

  “Pandora is very good at hiding when she does not wish to be found. It is likely that you will have to wait until she decides to find you.” A tall, gaunt man with dark skin and long limbs appeared. The man’s face was expressionless, and his black eyes focused on nothing in particular.

  “Who are you?” Adam asked.

  “I am a virtual projection of the one the Collective calls the Seer. You may ask questions, but my responses are limited. I have some information I wish to share. You may find it useful.”

  Where is she?

  In the last few days of searching, Adam had been unable to find any trace of Pandora. He’d thought the moment he stopped hiding, she would swoop down like a hungry beast and snatch him. It had been a frightening notion, but he’d been prepared to let it happen and was more frustrated than relieved.

  As far as he could tell, Pandora was no longer interested in finding him. Her focus seemed devoted to denying her existence through actions such as planting skeptics and discrediting anyone who brought her up, demons and cyberpolice alike—even Tech Council members. Despite—or perhaps because of—her efforts, more and more people believed in her.

  Here’s one deity who benefits from not having followers. Adam realized that, as a disembodied Networld consciousness, he had the same abilities as she did and could learn to do the same things. I guess that makes me a Networld demigod.

  The arrogance of that comparison made him immediately shake the thought away. Unsure of what to do, he continued wandering.

  Pandora seemed always with him, watching him, even though he had no idea where she was. She could no longer enter his mind, as he no longer had a body to receive commands or suggestions. Yet, he still sensed her presence. Trepidation overcame him as he wondered what it would be like to meet the being who had created every aspect of him—every memory, every thought…

  I think too much.

  “I’m sorry,” Adam said. “I haven’t found any sign of her. And she doesn’t seem interested in finding me.”

  Jane and Devin had reached Aurudise-3. Adam should have already imprisoned Pandora.

  Devin lowered the ship into the planet’s atmosphere. “We’ll go ahead and find her workshop, see what we’re dealing with.”

  Adam looked through the ship’s visual sensors. A lifeless sheet of stone stretched into the distance, fading into the pale sky above it. The only object in sight was an enormous rectangular building made of concrete with a number of square windows along the walls.

  Devin steered toward it. “That must be it.”

  “Looks nicer than the one on Viate-5,” Jane said. “Not to mention about ten times bigger.”

  Adam regarded the building with a sense of wonder. So that’s where I was born. Or… created.

  Devin landed the ship near the building. Jane reached behind him, opened the storage compartment near the pilot’s seat, and retrieved the large gun he’d taken from the Ringmaster’s court.

  Devin pulled the lever to open the door, and then noticed what she held. “Hell no. Hand it over.”

  Jane pouted. “Aw, why do I always have to be the unarmed one?”

  Devin held out his hand. “I have better aim.”

  She surrendered the gun. “Gotta remember to grab one myself next time.”

  “The only way there’ll be a ‘next time’ is if there’s a time warp.” Devin stood and walked toward the exit.

  “Huh. That’d be interesting.” Jane walked beside him. “Although at this point, if it happened, I wouldn’t be shocked or anything. Just add it to the list.”

  “List?”

  “Of insane situations. Let’s see… I’m running around the Fringe in a ripped-up ball gown, Adam’s stuck in the Networld, you died…”

  A strong gust obscured her voice as she stepped out of the ship. Adam wanted to follow her into the building, but he didn’t know where to begin looking for the connection that would allow him to do so.

  So he did the only thing he could: return to his Networld wanderings. “Pandora! Where are you?”

  “Hello, Adam.”

  A colossal, wire-frame mask of a woman materialized, deep blue but bright against the blackness, perfectly symmetrical and flawlessly proportioned. She seemed before him and above him at the same time, surrounding Adam with her imposing presence.

  Adam regarded her with awe. “Pandora?”

  “Yes, my child.” Her voice boomed through the abyss. “I’m here now. I know you’ve been searching for me.”

  “Where have you been?”

  Pandora gave him a stern look. “I’ve been busy. You disrupted my work.”

  Adam shrank. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t know what you wanted of me.”

  “Yes, you did. You knew very well, and you turned away from it. You can’t lie to me, Adam. You could barely deceive anyone in the physical world, and you certainly can’t hide from me here.”

  “I’m sorry.” The idea of his every thought being laid out before her like words on a page terrified Adam. He moved his hand toward the Via pendant around his neck and froze when he realized what he was doing. The sharpness of Pandora’s gaze pierced him.

  “You certainly are courageous.” Pandora sounded more exasperated than angry. “That’s one aspect I did not program you for.” She narrowed her eyes at the pendant. It disappeared. “Elementary, my child. I’m disappointed. I was interested to see what kind of program the demons thought could imprison me. I thought it would be a fascinating example of human engineering, but what you carried was so obvious.”

  She’d destroyed the Snare. A flush of cold heat coursed through Adam.

  Pandora continued glaring at him, reading him. “Did you really think you could get it past me? My poor child. Did you really think you could defeat me?”

  “It was worth a try.” Adam wondered what she would do with him, what he should do.

  Pandora sighed. “I’m afraid I have to destroy you, my child. It brings me great regret, but you have caused far too much trouble. You can’t run anymore. And neither can your human friends.”

  A window appeared, showing a view of the building from above. A deep blue cannon unfolded from the roof and aimed at Jane and Devin. The line of yellow lights along its side turned red one by one.

  Adam shook his head, too horrified to do more than stammer, “P-Pandora, d-don’t. Please—”

  “Don’t be afraid, my child.” Pandora’s tone took a gentle turn. “I don’t intend to kill them. I
f I did, they would be dead already. I want them… to study. I want to examine them, experiment on them, and use my observations to update my calculations concerning human irrationality. I’m very much looking forward to it. I’ve never had live human test subjects before, for I gathered all the information I needed on human physiology and behavior from the Net. That information must not have been as complete as I’d thought.”

  Adam bolted. Perhaps he could at least find a way to warn them. Pandora appeared by his side and somehow prevented him from moving. The mask unfolded into a giant, wire-frame female figure, also perfectly symmetrical and flawlessly proportioned—and absolute in her strength as she towered over him.

  “Funny, isn’t it?” Pandora turned Adam back toward the window, forcing him to watch. “You came here with the intention of trapping and destroying me, but now, it is you who are trapped and who shall be destroyed. Foolish child.”

  The last cannon light turned red…

  Boom.

  Chapter 25

  Save Me Cruelly—So Be It, Truly

  The searing explosion threw Jane forward. She landed on her stomach. After taking a moment to let the pain fade, she looked back. Little more than a burnt shell remained where the counterfeit Blue Tang had stood. Horror washed over her.

  Devin offered her a hand. “I’m sure Adam wasn’t in there. Pandora wants him alive.” He helped her up.

  Jane tried to relax, even though that blast meant they’d been discovered and, with their escape vehicle gone, were basically screwed. No panicking.

  Devin looked around. “She must want us alive too.”

  Mechanical whirring hummed above Jane. Several armed drones flew straight at her. “Dammit! Why does it always have to go to hell?”

  The drones fired. The ground exploded into spurts of gravel. Jane ran. Devin shot at the drones as he followed. The door to the building opened, and with the ground bursting behind her, she rushed inside.