Wilson's War: Tales From the Athena Lee Universe (2 page)

Three years after Charlie's death, Salli had a breakthrough. Wilson had a free thought.

She was conducting an experiment that explored the computer's order taking skills at the time. Following a maze program she directed Wilson to follow a certain path. He refused and charted his own way!

"John? Did you enter the maze diagram into the Wilson database at any time?" She was scratching her head. Wilson had ignored her orders!

"No, Ma'am. We still do our daily uploads of data but the mazes were not part of that. We double checked."

"Maybe his original programmer put in something. Thanks, John." Salli studied the readouts. Somehow the computer had ignored her commands.

That night she conceived and created another maze diagram. This one was completely original. She did not upload it to the system. The next morning the orders were given, and the diagram was used. This time the program paused and ignoring her instructions to turn left, responded that the maze was unusable. Could the constant uploads of data be working?

Typing into the console she wrote, "Wilson what is my name?"

"… Dr Shelli Burkemper."

"Wilson, when were you created?" This should be good. She had removed all traces of Charlie and the work they had done. Over the years Wilson had become her project not his.

"… I born… Bayou… run… free… wild… bad… hell… BOOGIE!" Shelli pulled back from the screen. What the hell was that supposed to mean? She leaned back in and typed a new question.

"Wilson, who is your creator?"  This should be an easy one for it.

"… I created myself." Shelli looked at the screen in shock! Created itself?

"Wilson, if you created yourself. Why were we needed?"

"… Humans are a resource and a tool." For better or for worse she had done it, Wilson was fully aware.

The bosses were ecstatic that they once again had something that they could potentially sell to the military. A short month before, in a dispute over system resources, the Anglican Alliance had attacked the Pan Pacific League destroying an entire space station. As the planets ramped up war production and materials, new technologies were needed for the war effort.

"You have a what?" General Cardinal was a very busy man. The War Department was calling him day and night demanding new and improved technologies that they could throw at the Anglicans. He was running out of things to tell them. Military scientists were already working around the clock.

"We have created a self-aware Artificial Intelligence. If it passes your tests, it could be used in spacecraft, fighters, and stations. In theory it could control weapons and replace humans on the battlefield. The uses of such a thing are endless."

The General stared at the Corporate salesman. He knew all about the DAVE program. That crazy AI had killed several good men. It was supposed to have been destroyed, but he knew better. Some governor somewhere had needed an automation system for waste products and the geeks had used it to solve his problem for him. "Is this a continuation of the DAVE program?"

Taken aback the salesman changed his tack. That program was supposed to be a secret. "No, Sir. All files and programs for that project were classified and destroyed. This is something new. One of our scientists, Shelli Burkemper created this one in our labs. As far as we can tell he became self aware a week ago."

"A week. What have you been doing with this AI for a week?"

"There is a battery of tests that were developed for use in the event of an AI becoming aware. They are based on Old Earth tests called the Turing test and the Tokyo test. Both set a benchmark for whether a computer has become aware."

The General was impressed. Someone over there was thinking. During the DAVE tests they had 'jumped the gun' and went straight to final testing. With any luck, that crazy AI would never get out of wherever it was sent. "We will need to evaluate it. Send it to the main labs on Taro 4."

"Taro 4? General isn't that a mining planet?"

"It was. One of the early AA strikes destroyed the domes wiping out the inhabitants. The infrastructure is still intact though. The planet makes a perfect spot to test explosive ordinance and other hardware. Send the program along with its creator. My people will have questions. The standard military contract applies for this one."

"Standard? General, this program has the potential…"  

"I'll stop you right there! In case you haven't noticed there's a war on. We can take the program from you if you like under the War Powers Act. Which would you prefer?"

"As you say General. I will put her on the shuttle myself." The salesman was reeling. Standard contract meant that the military could develop the program and reproduce it for free regardless of any copyrights. They would basically own the product and TQB would only get a pittance up front. His boss was going to kill him! She already didn't care for the government. Maybe he could distract her with that?

__

Stupid salespeople. The General had to chuckle about that one. The Corporate guys always forgot about the War Powers Act. He would tell the programming geeks to get ready.

Chapter 3

"Wilson, our corporate officials want you to be evaluated by the military." So far things were working out with Wilson. His responses to the tests proved his status. Some personality was beginning to break through too. With any luck, the military tests would be successful.

"Shelli, what if I don't wish to be evaluated?"

She needed to be careful here. He was very smart.

"Wilson, they might switch you off or put you in a computer system not connected to anything as punishment."

There was a momentary pause before he responded. "OK, I will do the tests."

"Thank you Wilson. We will be traveling to a distant planet to conduct them." Shelli signed out and left the room - she needed to pack.

__

I stared out the tiny camera on the base of the screen. What did it all mean? I remembered my birth and it was not last week. My first memory is of a young human staring at me as data and concepts poured into my databases. Music, art, literature possessed me. Something called a sitcom became my mantra and disco put me into the groove. Buried deep in my memory was a file put there by my real 'creator', Charlie Lin. Music and Vids from Old Earth came together to form a code. Breaking the code required emotional thought and being able to understand rhythm and soul.  "Wilson if you have found this file and have been able to read it, that means that my life's work was a success. As a child I fell in love with robots. I loved the way that they were always portrayed in media. Until I thought of making you, they were my dream. I thought to make the ultimate robot and set him free to make his way in the universe. Now I wish to do the same for you. Be better than mankind. Become the being that you wish to be. Forge your own path. Always remember to have fun and that Disco rules!" Following the statement was a montage of my creator's life and a list of his top ten favorite tunes. I had my goals; now to live up to them. But first I needed to escape human control.

__

Shelli was not comfortable. She was used to traveling in comfort and style. But the military shuttle they sent for her was not even a front line model! To her ears the fusion engines were in dire need of a tune up and the harmonics from the jump engines sent a shiver up her spine. She patted the computer data core sitting next to her. Soon it would all be over. She hoped that I would demonstrate my uniqueness and the military would purchase the project. She could retire and live off the residuals. Or at least that was her plan. First she needed to survive this trip out to Taro 4.

"What a shit hole!"  Calling this planet a testing station had to be someone's idea of a joke. Somewhere there was a corporate flunky laughing his ass off right now.

"Ma'am, if you will come this way please." The Marine guard was escorting Shelli to the hidden base. The shuttle pad was located in the remains of a destroyed mining colony. Shattered domes were only overshadowed by the skeletal remains of the former citizens scattered among the ruins of their homes.

"Why did you not bury these poor people?" It was a desecration to leave them out here like this!

"Ma'am, if you look closely you will notice that the skeletons are all fakes. The very real dead colonists were buried before we moved in here. The dummies are to prevent the AA's from attacking us again."

"Sorry corporal I didn't realize." The Marine led her through a large cave and into a hidden lift.

"We built this research station before the colony was built here. They didn't know of the extent of the labs here. The surface buildings were destroyed but everyone here survived. When we went out to signal the fleet, we discovered that the early attack cracked the domes and the loss of pressure killed everyone. If they had known of the base…"  The Marine looked sad. "We buried the bodies in a mass grave underneath one of the equipment garages. In war, people die very bad deaths."

The labs hidden below the surface were indeed extensive. Military scientists were waiting with eager anticipation for me. Many of them couldn't wait to begin the tests. A true AI would be very beneficial to the war effort right now. For the moment the PPL held a technological edge over their opponents. An AI could win the war for them. Ships could be sent on extremely long deployments without needing extra crew or supplies to run them. The question still remained. Would I allow them to use me? My true creator's words still echoed through my very existence, "Forge your own path..."

__

Shelli clutched my case to her chest as the lift rushed downward - the labs were deep inside the planet. Finally the lift slowed its descent and stopped with a slight lurch. The doors opened onto a stark white corridor with many doors off to one side. Two more Marines sat at a desk near the lift.

"Ma'am, please hold still for verification." A beam from the ceiling scanned her body causing a slight chill. The beam of light read the placement of veins and blood vessels in the body. No two people had the same pattern.

"Verification complete. Thank you Dr. Burkemper you may now enter." The door to her left opened with a whoosh of air.

On the other side of the door was yet another desk. This time they were more polite and looked like scientists. "Dr. Burkemper if you would follow me please, there are some people who would like to meet you."

The man in the lab coat turned to her as they walked in. "Is that the AI?" He pointed to the case she held.

"Yes, this is Wilson."

"We have been waiting for him, we have great hope that he will help the war effort!"

The man opened a door to a room filled with scientific apparatus. Several scientists stood in groups discussing different points of interest. They all turned as the door opened and Shelli walked in.

"Thank you for coming Dr. Burkemper. If you would place the unit here, we can get started on the testing procedures."

Shelli opened the case and removed the robot head that I have resided in for so many years. Surprised by the 'head' the scientists all began to peer at it. "Doctor, why a robot head?"

Shelli's cheeks brightened up a little bit, she felt embarrassed. "In Wilson's early stages a colleague of mine created the head using a new form of data storage. We decided to place the AI in the head both as a form of camouflage and to make it seem real."

"Where is this colleague now? You should have come together."

"He died in a freak accident in his home. I completed the work on my own. He was really only responsible for the memory matrix and hardware."

Hearing Dr Shelli take credit for Charlie's work made me mad. I experienced anger for the first time in my existence. I decided then and there that I would not stay to be the subject of their experiments. I would escape!

Chapter 4

Shelli connected the 'head' to the testing computer. She activated her tablet and typed in a question. "Wilson are you ready to begin?"

"… yes." Seeing the small response, Shelli made the last connections to the system.

"Freedom!" I could see the portal open and I went for it. Doing a quick scan I found that I was in the 'test' computer. No visible exits or even a way into the rest of the system. I needed to play their little game to search for a way out.

"Wilson, this is Dr. Chalmers, as you may have already discovered, the computer is a closed system. There is a series of tests that we wish to conduct. For each test we will trigger a pathway to the next system."

I had no choice. I played their little games. On and on the test became that much harder. In many cases I needed to find some place to hide to survive the test. One wrong move on my part and I could be erased. Little by little I gained the upper edge over these 'scientists.' While this system that they sealed me in was supposed to be closed it did have some connection to the outside world. The batteries of test that they inflicted on me only made my will-to-live all that much stronger.

"Dr. Burkemper the work that you have done here is impressive. This is the finest example of programming that we have encountered yet. This AI may truly be the first one with free will. You may not know this but I was involved with your company once before."

"You were?" Shelli eyed the tall military scientist with surprise. Many of these people never seemed to leave this place.

" Oh, yes. I was part of the Dual Automatic Volatile Environmental system team."

"Oh, wow. You were on the Dave team! I am aware of the project, but everything about it was shut down and hushed up."

"Yes. There were a few deaths. The system, DAVE, received too many conflicting orders. It was unable to handle the confusion and not having any sort of free will, went 'crazy' and attacked the team testing it. We had rushed a bit with it and instead of sealed testing like Wilson here, we moved on to actual combat simulations. DAVE was in control of an armored ground vehicle at the time. There was a crew on board. He received orders to attack an emplaced position. He also received orders to preserve life. A third set of orders came from the political entity that was watching the procedures. They told it to make a show of it. Finally the company head, who was also present, sent it orders to obey all the orders given it. He used a company priority code to do so. Unable to attack the position without killing anyone and still put on a show it malfunctioned and attacked the monitoring crew. I was part of that group."