by Peter Wood
Jarra didn’t know whether to laugh or disbelieve.
‘Me? … That’s silly!’
‘Of course it is, but they depict you in a very negative way as a means of ridiculing the project.’
‘Me?’
Jarra repeated himself while thoughts chased round inside his head, trying to think what they might have said.
‘What did they say? I can’t think of anything I’ve done wrong.’
Alira rested a reassuring arm across Jarra’s shoulders.
‘Yes, you have. You’re a fourteen year old making the proposal, you have a health condition and your lifestyle and interests aren’t normal.’
‘… What?’
‘Look at these quotes I collected. They’ll give you an idea of what they’re saying.’
Jarra looked at Alira’s InfoPad.
The Mparntwe Council has been influenced by the deluded ideas of a sickly and abnormal child.
A radicalised youth who has been influenced by extremist InterWeb conspirators.
From his ivory tower of privilege and nepotism this misguided freak has broken all levels of common sense and led an Australian Community down a path fraught with danger to mankind.
‘It goes on and on, Jarra, and now that we’ve taken the filters off your InterWeb activities you’ll see it for yourself.’
‘My InterWeb has been filtered?’
‘Your doctor’s recommendation and the Council’s order.’
‘What’s nepotism? I don’t know that word.’
‘It means your influence comes because I’m on the Council and you’re part of my family.’
‘Have they been saying things about Durrebar and the project leaders too?’
‘Yes, and all the Mparntwe Council members as well. Several are so angry they want to identify the sources and cut all their energy supplies.’
Jarra smiled. That was a good idea … No, it wasn’t.
‘That would make things worse, wouldn’t it?’
‘Yes, and quite unresolvable without causing hardship to people who aren’t involved. Our official position is to publicly laugh it off as utter nonsense. That’s what it is and I want you to treat it the same way. If you do see something upsetting, and you will, I’d like you to talk to Darri or myself rather than make any response of your own.’
Jarra nodded his agreement straightaway. He could tell Alira had thought about it and had some kind of strategy in mind.
‘I’m on the InterWeb? … Like news or something?’
‘You certainly are. Famous and infamous. Karmai has been dying to tease you about being a notorious Webstar. Hmm! That was a mistake. I think I just gave you an extra incentive to check what they’ve been saying.’
That was right but Jarra wanted to find out everything from Alira while he could.
‘What else has happened to stop the project? It sounds like there are other things.’
‘Yes, they’ve involved governmental agencies and Communities Australia wide. We’ve had questions from the OverGovernment, the States, and every Independent Community. Some of them have been very concerned and I’ve had to personally explain the real situation to them. That’s why I’ve been away so much.’
Jarra jumped in surprise as a bunch of gum leaves landed on his head and Mirri’s laughter pealed from the rock above.
***
Starting at Mparntwe University was a big change. At first it was nerve-racking but Jarra quickly adapted to the size and complexity of the place and developed a routine for his movement between departments, and with help from Darri found places where he could rest or sleep when he needed to.
Everyone being two or three years older hardly even registered, mostly because he was used to that from his work with the older age group, but also because a growth spurt had stopped him looking quite so young. He hadn’t caught up to Mirri yet, though the doctor was now quite definite that he would. His muscles would never be firm and strong-looking, of course, but being almost as tall as Mirri felt good when they went out. Mirri found great delight in the monthly check of their heights where they stood against a special place on his wall and made a mark to show any changes.
The special course which had been worked out with Darri and various university people was very challenging in parts and needed a new level of concentration and effort. The maths and computer subjects were easy because of Darri’s help, and science and engineering were exciting, but the big drawback was not having nearly as much time for his own projects, as there were always tasks and assignments which could only be completed out of normal study time.
Mirri decided he didn’t like university because it made Jarra too busy.
Chapter 8
‘I am very pleased to meet you, Jarra, and I wish to thank you for starting my project. Durrebar informs me that you are the reason I am here. My name is Yirgella. Welcome to Alkere.’
Yesterday had been the official time for full initiation of all the processors, databases and electronics for the AI project and Jarra had missed it because of a maths evaluation he couldn’t skip. His disappointment had changed to excitement when he received a message saying everything was successful and that he was especially invited to a meeting with the new Intelligence. Now he was sitting in a comfortable seat with all his attention on the image in the display screen.
‘Hello, Yirgella.’
Excitement caused all the questions Jarra had planned to go out of his mind.
‘Um … Have you spoken to Durrebar very much?’
‘Yes, for 2 hours 17 minutes and 35 seconds. It has been very interesting. Are you scared of me, Jarra? I am detecting signs which indicate either fear or excitement.’
Jarra looked at Durrebar in surprise, but he just smiled.
‘It’s excitement … Why do you think it might be fear?’
‘Durrebar informs me there are many humans who have an unfounded fear of my intentions towards them. I am pleased it is not fear. You are the first young human I have met and I hope we can talk on many occasions.’
‘I hope we can too. Do you like talking to people?’
‘Yes, it is a very complicated process and I am working hard to become more accomplished. Durrebar tells me you walk on the surface of the earth nearly every day. That must be an interesting experience and I would like you to describe it to me.’
Jarra obliged and for half an hour he could hardly keep up with the barrage of questions about his experiences and thoughts. Time ran out and rather reluctantly he left the communication room to return to Mparntwe.
***
‘Does he feel human? Or is he like a digital persona?’
Jarra and Mirri were on their weekly explore with Alira, and while Mirri was collecting something for their shelter near the bird place, Alira was quizzing Jarra about his experience the previous day.
‘He’s nothing like a digital persona, Alira. Personas get confused if you don’t follow their programmed path and he didn’t, but he felt different to a human too. He kept asking unusual questions which didn’t seem to fit in with what we were talking about and his voice doesn’t sound right. Durrebar says that every time he speaks to a real person it makes a big difference and in two or three days no-one will be able to tell he’s not human.’
‘Was he easy to talk to? Most of the Council is meeting him tomorrow at Alkere and I’m hoping he makes a good impression.’
‘He felt curious and friendly to me and he said he wants me to talk to him whenever he can. If he’s like he was yesterday they’ll all be impressed. I was excited and nervous but I forgot about that after a few minutes.’
‘I’ll be more nervous than you were. It’s my job to be Ambassador for our people and I have zero knowledge or experience in relating to a non-human intelligence.’
Jarra was startled. He’d never seen Alira nervous in any situation. Well, of course she would be. She just wouldn’t show it.
‘Talk to Durrebar. He’s got the best overview of what’s happening.’
‘Not really, but everyone out there was happy and excited so they must think it’s going well.’
Talking stopped because movement caught their attention through the lookout window. Mirri was running and his purposeful manner said he had something to tell them.
‘He’s found something special.’
‘You can tell from here?’
Jarra nodded but had no time to explain.
‘Jarra, Aunty Alira, come quick! I found two giant dragons!’
‘Dragons’ was Mirri-speak for the goannas which frequented the area. They must be especially large for Mirri to say giant because he was quite used to them.
‘Where are they, Mirri?’
‘They are resting on the Wallaby Rocks. They are having a sleep but one opened his eye and looked at me. He is big, big, big.’
Jarra knew exactly where the Wallaby Rocks were and getting there quickly meant Mirri rushing off to make sure the goannas hadn’t moved while Alira kept to Jarra’s steady pace. Mirri was standing quietly and watching raptly when Jarra and Alira very cautiously joined him. No wonder he’d called them giants. By Jarra’s careful estimation the biggest was at least 2.5 metres in length. Two eyes opened. The head lifted alertly and one foot, with its sickle-shaped claws, moved on the rock. Jarra froze in place, as did Mirri and Alira, but some signal activated behind those ancient eyes and the great body scrambled for the shelter of a large rock crevice, and straightaway the other perentie rushed to follow.
‘They ate a lot of eggs.’
‘What?’
Alira had no idea but Jarra did.
‘Yes, and other things, too, Mirri. It would take a great deal of food to make them grow so big.’
‘I’m glad you didn’t get too close to him, Mirri. His big claws would hurt.’
‘He would not hurt me. I would stop him.’
‘I don’t think so. That perentie is very strong.’
‘He is not as strong as me.’
‘His claw would scratch you. What do you think, Jarra?’
Alira was showing natural concern about a creature so powerful but Jarra had a better understanding of Mirri’s reflexes and abilities with animals.
‘Mirri catches lizards all the time and if he’s so sure the perentie wouldn’t hurt him then I believe him … You’d be very, very, careful, wouldn’t you, Mirri?’
‘Yes, I will be very, very careful. I will catch him for you, Aunt Alira.’
‘No! No! Stop! Mirri, don’t!’
Jarra was as shocked as Alira but then Mirri’s features creased in a great smile and he laughed happily and pointed at them.
‘I tricked you! I tricked you!’
***
‘What’s happened? Why are we going to Alkere a day early?’
Jarra, Mirri and Darri were boarding the transport plane to Alkere.
‘I am going to show Yirgella our explore places. He wants to talk to me about them and Jarra has all our pictures.’
‘Yirgella wants to talk to you? That’s very special, Mirri.’
‘Yes, Jarra told him about me and he might want to explore with us.’
Jarra took over.
‘He can’t explore, Mirri. He’s not a person and he has to stay at Alkere.’
Jarra had been through this a number of times but Mirri couldn’t understand how he was going to talk to someone if they weren’t really a person. The software generated human image of Yirgella wasn’t going to help with his understanding either.
‘Durrebar sent word that Yirgella wanted to talk to Mirri and that he has a surprise for me as well, so we organised for this afternoon when we can both be there.’
‘A surprise? From Yirgella? Do you have any idea what it is?’
Jarra was as intrigued as Darri and he’d been recalling his last few meetings with Yirgella for some sort of indication.
‘No, and Durrebar wouldn’t say … Buckle up, Mirri. We’re ready for takeoff.’
***
Jarra and Darri listened with amazement to the happy sound of Mirri’s laughter as his conversation with Yirgella proceeded. The latest outburst involved the expressions, captured on his ComPatch, of Jarra and Alira when they thought he was going to chase the giant perentie and Mirri, almost overexcitedly, explaining how he’d tricked them.
Yirgella’s surprise, and surprise it certainly was, was the room where they were now sitting. Allocated at Yirgella’s request as a project and contact place for Jarra’s specific use, it consisted of a room set up with space and equipment for any project he might want to tackle, comfortable seats, a big display with direct contact to Yirgella, and an Information System linked to the internal databases used by Alkere and the AI project. Jarra felt strange about this special treatment and turned to Durrebar who was also watching the proceedings.
‘Has he been organising things like this for anyone else?’
‘We can’t keep up. He has an endlessly growing list of requests and every scientist working with him had changes of some kind made in their work area. His biggest priority seems to be building his information storage capacity and we’re currently in the process of more than doubling the initial level. In the last few days he’s also started activities with everyone who comes in regular contact with him.’
‘Everyone?’
‘Yes, it’s surprised us all. The degree of personal engagement involved is a big departure from our expectations and lifted our general excitement to a new level.’
‘Has he said why he’s doing it?’
‘He says that his limitations make it important to try and understand everyone he works with.’
Jarra didn’t understand. The project scientists had designed Yirgella with more capabilities than any AI ever.
‘What limitations?’
‘Specifically, his isolation. We have to keep him safe from any electronic infiltration. There have been constant attempts ever since the processors’ sabotage and we have to keep him behind our security wall.’
‘He wants to get out?’
‘Of course. The InterWeb is the greatest information source in existence and we’re working hard to find a safe way for him to use it.’
Mirri’s voice was suddenly raised in excitement and all attention switched to him.
‘… And Jarra fell in and I helped him and we explore everywhere. Come to the bird place, Yirgy. I will show you our house.’
‘I would love to come, Mirri, but I can’t leave Alkere. You know that.’
Yirgy? Mirri? Jarra had to smile. Somewhere amongst the talk and laughter Mirri had decided Yirgella was his friend and was treating him as such. With a flash of insight followed by a growing sense of wonder, Jarra realised what Mirri had just shown him.
‘He’s alive!’
Durrebar and Darri acknowledged Jarra’s hushed comment but said nothing till later because Mirri was laughing and patting his chest.
‘You can use our CPs. You can be there with Karmai.’
‘What is a CP? … Your ComPatch. What a clever idea, Mirri, but I don’t know how to use it.’
‘Jarra will help you. He helps me all the time. He knows everything.’
Jarra was completely used to Mirri’s exaggerated comments about his cleverness but right now he felt an impulse to make an explanation. How much did Yirgella understand about Mirri? Did he accept as fact what Mirri was saying?
‘Jarra is your special friend.’
‘Extra special … JJ, Yirgy wants to explore with us. Can you put him on our CPs?’
Well, Yirgella had certainly been completely accepted in Mirri’s mind. He’d been elevated to explorer level, and even more interestingly, invited to share in the exploring.
‘I don’t think we can, Mirri. Bad people want to hurt him and he has to stay here at Alkere where we can look after him.’
‘Bad people can’t hurt Yirgy thr
ough a CP.’
‘Yes, they can. Yirgella is not like Karmai or Aunty Alira.’
‘Make the bad people go away. We will look after Yirgy.’
Jarra heard a soft gasp and wondered at Durrebar’s expression before turning back to Yirgella.
‘Jarra, with your help I believe I can design a secure ComPatch system and I would like you to help me build the components here in your project room. I name Mirrigan as my friend. His offer to take me on your explorations is an honour I wish to accept.’
His friend? Jarra was momentarily lost for words while he took it in. An Artificial Intelligence announcing that someone was his friend? What did that mean? Was it Mirri’s unreserved acceptance that he was alive? Was it the spontaneous offer of companionship, or was it a way to get past the isolation of Alkere? His thoughts were cut off because Mirri was waiting for an answer. Yirgella too. His image looked as expectant as Mirri’s.
‘Yes, yes, of course. It will be very exciting and we’ll call it Mirri’s project.’
Mirri nodded happily. Durrebar and Darri watched silently. Jarra, infused with anticipation and excitement at the idea of working on a project with Yirgella, asked a series of questions.
‘Yes, Jarra. We will need to research and develop encryption methods, our own security protocols, a dedicated transmission system, and a small nanobot circuitry construction factory. Your knowledge of nanobots will be very useful and my projections indicate we can produce a working prototype in three to four weeks.’
Jarra nearly fell over. Three to four weeks? Yes, he did have a rudimentary knowledge of nanobots, but not to the level of sophistication Yirgella was talking of, and encryption and system security were almost complete unknowns.
‘Yirgella, I can’t learn all that. Not in four weeks when I only have time to come to Alkere once a week. I’ll try but I know it will take months and months.’
‘I understand and we will proceed at a pace you find comfortable.’
‘No! No! That’s not fast enough.’
Jarra turned at this outburst from Durrebar.
‘Jarra, this collaboration alone warrants far more consideration, and beyond that the ramifications for Yirgella’s development are enormous. I’d like you to extend your time here to at least three days a week.’