Leviathan (34 page)

“All right,” Frank began, turning to pace slowly, hands folded before his face as if in prayer. “GEO is a genetically copied neural net microprocessor.”

“
Meaning?”

“
Meaning that it is the first large-scale, self-reliant neural net computer. And you have to understand it in that perspective.’'

“
Define what you're saying.”

Frank paused, turning to her.
“Okay. It's like this. In the present day, computers are constantly being upgraded so that they're faster and faster. The fastest 486 that was used ago doesn't even come close to the Clays we use today. So in the normal world the rule is 'later is better' because it's faster.”

Beth pursed her lips.
“But not with GEO.”

“
No. Not with GEO. The first GEO will always be more powerful and faster than any that follow it.”

“
Why is that?”

“
Because of the aging process of the neural net. The first GEO has experienced, or learned, rather, more than any that follow it. Thus, it is more intelligent. The ratio of artificial-neural to synthetic processors is approximately one to two at the creation of GEO. Toward maturity, however, GEO's ratio of artificial-neural to synthetic processors will be approximately five billion to one because the neural network will be expanding much like a human brain. The effects of this transition are an increase in what can only be termed humanness in the machine. Synthetic or artificial emotion, or artificial humanity all meld with programming and a specific math-logic to form a totally new intelligence capable of virtually infinite thinking ability.”

Beth felt a new respect.
“Did you come up with this, Frank?”

He stood in place.
“Rachel did.”

“
Your wife?”

“
Yes.”

“
She must have been an extraordinary woman.”

Frank paused.
“Yes. She was.”

Suddenly Beth regretted bringing it up.

“Go ahead,” she said.

“
Let me just describe it to you,” Frank said, raising his hands once more. He began pacing again. “GEO is cylindrical, about twenty stories high and twenty-five feet wide. In the center of that is the light cylinder that houses the artificial synoptic neural mapping.”

Beth blinked.
“What's that?”

“
It's the fiber-optic light tube where Rachel's neural cerebral synapse network is artificially copied on a niobium-titanium chip,” he replied quickly. “The network is used for memory storage, calculations, data transport and thinking in general. Now, the next level of GEO is a cybernetic link shell implanted between the network and the technical connections outside. That's where I'll have to go in through Cyberspace.”

“
Why?”

“
Because all signals are sent to the Logic Core via superconductive subzero fiber-optic lines. The only means of reaching the synthetic network is from the machine itself and down through the fiber-optic tube.”

Beth nodded.
“All right. I'm with you.”

“
Okay,” Frank continued. “All network-linked terminals, including the Cyberspace Module, are set to operate by specialized nine-digit codes that GEO has changed so that I can't reprogram. That allows GEO to delay, alter, or stop any intrusion or command regardless of the source. So it's absolutely impossible to pirate, steal, or molest data. That's another reason they brought me here to do this experiment. Nothing else but GEO would have been sufficient for their security measures. Nothing else was absolutely impenetrable.”

“Okay, I've got it,” Beth said. “We’re not going to be able to connect with the Logic Core because you don't have the altered nine-digit access codes for the matrix. That's why you're going to be attacked by the viruses.”

“
Right,” Frank responded, pacing. “Or, at least, we won't be able to connect on authorized lines. We'll still have to go down through the matrix, and GEO controls the flow of all data through the matrix.”

“
Can we piggyback you on other data that's authorized to pass through the matrix?” Beth asked. “Can we use something for cover to get you to the Logic Core?”

“
No. The matrix can run several data streams down the same fiber-optic line simultaneously as well as coactively. But it runs an electromagnetic echo wave at .002 nanometers ahead of the data stream that carries the prefix code and tells the device which data frequency to read at each occurrence. That prevents any device from piggybacking or tapping an alternate line. No device can travel toward a foreign target.”

“
Can we put the matrix off-line? Can we overheat it?”

“
No.” Frank shook his head. “The matrix is encased in a liquid nitrogen cooling gel maintained in a variable heat displacer. That layer is surrounded by an electromagnetically sealed niobium-titanium alloy for coating and protection. The power system runs through a low-level section of the matrix grid giving GEO control over everything, including temperature and overload.”

Beth stared. She had never heard of anything like this.

“Just what kind of machine is this, Frank?”

“
It's not simply a machine,” he said, standing in place. “That's what I'm trying to tell you. GEO is not just a machine, and it's not a living organism. It's a totally new breed of entity with an entirely different way of reasoning and perspective. GEO's synoptic neural network is an electromagnetic copy of Rachel's cerebellum. And Rachel had an IQ of 197, a doctorate in computer science with a master's in psychology. After we copied her neural network, the image was implanted on the chip. So as GEO learns to use the artificial network of synapse connections for thought processes, it becomes more and more expansive in its thinking skills. The dangerous part is that there's an icon guarding the Logic Core and I might have to confront it in order to change the math-logic.”

Beth stared.
“What kind of icon?”

The scientist stood very still.

“Rachel is the icon,” he said.

And suddenly Beth understood.
“It's the icon's responsibility to safeguard the Logic Core? To prevent anyone from entering the Logic Core without the authorized code?”

“
Yes.”

Beth waited, considering the implications.
“Well, how much can Rachel's icon do to stop you? I mean, the icon is just part of the machine. Can it hurt you?”

Solemn, Frank replied,
“Rachel can do whatever she wants. The Cyberspace Module has a body suit and helmet that are worn during connection. The helmet has very sensitive linkups which roughly interpret nerve impulses. It allows GEO to read my mind, in a sense. Hearing is digital, and the Cyberspace image is directly fired in my retina with a one centimeter overlap to provide absolute continuity in vision. I won't know the difference between Cyberspace and reality.”

“
Meaning what?”

Frank stared.

“Meaning Rachel is queen of that universe, Beth. If Rachel disapproves of my presence and gets to me before I can put the logic off-line, she'll fry my nervous system.”

Beth's voice was a whisper.

“Can Rachel kill you in Cyberspace, Frank?”

Silence.

“Yeah.” He finally nodded. “She can kill me.”

* * *

It was an hour before Connor, Thor, and Barley staggered into the Housing Cavern, all but dead from thirst. Connor didn't even mumble a word before snatching up a clear plastic liter of bottled water. He drank half of it, then poured the rest over his head, back, and face. After a few minutes he almost felt refreshed.

Barley duplicated the proc
edure with another bottle, shedding his burnt flak jacket and hurling it angrily to the side as if it had betrayed him. He drank almost a full liter of water before finally stopping to gaze around, blinking like he hadn't slept in days.

Chesterton stared at them as they continued drinking water, pouring it over their heads.
“Well?” he growled impatiently. “Do you think I’m standing here 'cause I like looking at you?”

Thor laid the M-79 on the table, leaning forward. His eyes were ice.

“It lives,” he said. “We wounded it, but it lives. We laid tracks through the cave to confuse it. But it is not so confused. We have heard it behind us, breaking what few vaults still stand. It is coming. And we have destroyed its food supply.”

Frank understood instantly, stepping forward.
“That was a good idea! Leviathan is going to be weakening fast! And when it's in combat it's going to need even more food than normal to assimilate proteins for muscular and armor reconstitution.”

“
Frank,” Connor looked up sharply, “if Leviathan is starving, will it go for the lake? Or will it push a confrontation? Will it try and finish this fight?”

“
It won’t go for the lake yet, Connor.” The scientist shook his head. “Leviathan is... is proud. I know that that's a weird term but I don’t know how else to say it. Leviathan will never leave a conflict unless its own death is imminent. And I think Leviathan believes it can kill us. Even in a weakened condition.”

“
Well,” Connor frowned, grim, “I’ve got a shock for it – the last shock of its life. Now find out where that thing is. I want an exact location and direction of travel.”

Frank quickly spoke into the headset and the computer replied,
“Leviathan is two miles from the Housing Cavern.”

“
What direction is it moving in?” Frank asked.

“
Leviathan is moving toward the Housing Cavern.'‘

Appearing in the doorway of the Housing Complex, Beth suddenly cried out, running down the steps to embrace Connor.

Connor took her in his arms and kissed her on the neck, cheek, face, mouth. She stared into his eyes, holding his face in her hands.

“
I was afraid ...”

“
It's all right,” he whispered. “But it'll be here in a few minutes. We've got to get moving.”

“
I broke the code,” she whispered, staring into his eyes.

Connor genuinely smiled.
“Like I knew you would, darlin'.” He kissed her. “Now let's get out of here. We've got to move.”

Without words Beth turned and ran up the staircase. In a moment she came out, holding Jordan close in her arms. He was wrapped in a blanket.
“He's still sleeping. I'm not going to wake him up if I don't have to.”

Connor walked up and gently lifted Jordan from her arms.
“He'll be okay. He's just—”

A howling roar thundered through the long tunnel behind them, echoing across the expanse of the Housing Cavern. It was a lot closer than Connor had expected.

Chesterton stepped forward. “Frank thinks he might be able to defuse the fail-safe, Connor.”

“
How?”

“
I've got to get into Cyberspace to do it,” Frank responded. “And that means I've got to get to the Computer Cavern because that's where the Cyberspace Module is located.”

“
You take him to it, Connor,” Chesterton said, lifting an M-16 that he had secured from a weapons locker. “There's probably going to be some kind of mechanical problem once you get there. This entire place is wrecked. Some of the electrical lines are down, and you're the only one who can fix them.”

Connor hesitated. He had come up with a desperate plan, something that might kill the beast, but he couldn't set it up if he had to lead Frank to the Computer Cavern. But then he knew that killing Leviathan would be useless if they couldn't disarm the fail-safe.

“All right,” Connor said. “Let's go.”

“
I'll need Beth to help me.”

“
She's coming, too.” Connor slung the M-203 over a shoulder, turned to Thor and Barley. “Can the two of you lay more tracks in and out of this cavern to confuse it? It's already hurting, but we need to hurt it some more.”

Together they nodded.

“Good,” Connor continued. “Just open all the vault doors and lay as many heat impressions as possible. Give it plenty to look at. Wear it out. It's wounded and it can't feed anymore. Plus, the fight on the bridge used up all of its resources. It's going to be starving real soon.” He hesitated. “The rest of us will go ahead and try to access the computer. We'll meet up at the power plant in an hour to make a stand, to try and keep it from passing through the cavern to reach Crystal Lake. I think I can rig up something that it can't cross, something that might even kill it. And we can probably get a distress signal through the communications linkup with the surface. But first we've got to disarm this bomb.”

“
It will be done,” Thor said.

Barley lifted his rifle.
“See you in an hour.”

Connor turned to Chesterton.
“What do you want to do? You want to come with us or stay here?”