Chapter 32: Kyle

Saturday, July 30th. 2050.

Launch day...

Kyle barges into the Captain's ready room. "Captain!"

Starting, Captain Martinez leaps from his desk, catching Kyle by the shoulders as he slumps, gasping for breath.

"Steady there lad, catch your breath." He says. Guiding Kyle towards the sofa. Pressing on his shoulders he lowers him down. "That's it lad, just breathe."

"Captain, it's Angie!" He gasps out unsteadily.

"It's okay Kyle." He says, rising. "Catch your breath then we can talk." Moving towards the counter, Captain Martinez pours out a glass of iced tea and approaches the couch. "Here lad, drink this." He says.

"Thank you Captain." Breath slowing, Kyle sips at the tea. The rich taste exploding across his taste buds. "God, that's good stuff!" Cradling the glass in his hands, Kyle watches as the Captain seats himself.

"Glad you like it lad. It's a personal recipe. Now, what's this about Angie. She is still deactivated I hope?" Captain Martinez asks, deceptively calm.

"Oh! yes Sir. I haven't reactivated her. I can't, and neither can she. That's all in your power. But Sir. We can't delete her!" He bursts out, almost shooting to his feet in his fervour.

"Calm down lad. Why can't we delete her? She is just an AI after all."

"No! She's not!" Bursting up from the couch, glass still in hand, Kyle starts to pace the small room. Five steps taking him from the couch to the other end of the room. "Well, technically yes, she is an AI." Turning to face the Captain, a look of frustration flashes across his face.

"I understand Kyle. She is a very complex AI, but..."

Kyle cuts him off with a shake of his head. "No Captain you don't understand. I said technically yes, but she isn't an artificial intelligence. Not in any way, shape or form."

"Then what Kyle? If she's not technically." His hands rise, making air quotes with his fingers. "An AI, then what is she?" He asks.

"she's an Actual Intelligence Captain. She has a brain!" He bursts out in excitement.

"Steady on lad, I know she has a brain. It's called a computer." The Captain's dismissive manner grates on Kyle's nerves and he growls in frustration.

"Let me ask you something Captain, what is a brain? How would you describe a human brain?" Kyle asks, his body vibrating unspent energy as he continues pacing.

"I don't quite understand what you're trying to say Kyle."

"Please Captain, how would you describe the human brain? This is important, I promise." Kyle stops walking, his pleading eyes focused on the Captain's face.

"Well, I'm not sure. How I'd describe it you say?" seeing Kyle nod, he ponders the question. "Well. I suppose it's a mass of brain cells, with two hemispheres that control different aspect of our thinking and body parts." He responds finally.

"Okay, basic, but okay. I can work with that." Kyle murmurs. Clasping his hands behind his back, Kyle continues to pace. "So, the brain is divided into three parts. You have the cerebrum, the brain stem and the cerebellum. Are you with me so far?" Kyle asks.

Staring at the young man pacing in his office, Captain Martinez nods, mutely listening to this strange, unasked for biology lesson.

"Well, the cerebrum is divided into two cerebral hemispheres which is covered by a cerebral cortex, which again has several parts to it. Now each Cerebral hemisphere is sectioned into four parts, the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes. and the corpus callosum connects these hemispheres. Then there's the cerebellum which connects to the brainstem which connects the brain to the spinal cord..."

Here, the Captain interrupts the pacing, erratic young man that had barged into his office. "Kyle, what on earth is the relevance of all this? Why do I need to know how the brain works. It works, that's all there is to it. I don't NEED to know more, I'll leave that to you brainiacs."

"I promise this is important Captain. But I'll try to be more concise. Let's start with the function and purpose of a brain shall we. The human brain stores information, processes it and helps us to run tasks, like breathing, eating, running, walking, talking. It also carries out complex mathematical calculations, and complex algorithms. Then there is the societal role, like quick thinking and reflexes. The different parts of our brain, like with the cerebrum, controls different aspects like emotion, mathematics, musical and artistic ability, body co-ordination and oh so many other things I can't even think of Captain. It's a self-maintaining system, with built-in backup systems in case of damaged pathways, it has an amazing storage capacity; and not to mention that it runs on electrical signals." Pausing for breath, Kyle stops walking and takes a drink of his tea before asking a simple question.

"Well Captain, what was I just describing? A human brain? Or was I describing a computer?" He asks.

"A human brain of course. Why would you say you were describing a computer? It doesn't control artistic or musical ability, or co-ordination at all." the Captain responds, certain of his answer.

"Are you sure about that Captain?" Kyle asks quietly.

"Of course I am!"

"Computer. Play selection 4 from my personal file please." Jazz music starts to play from the speakers and Kyle stares at the Captain steadily, waiting.

"So you asked the computer to play some music you had stored. So what?"

"Stored in its memory Captain. Wouldn't you say? Controlled by electrical impulses, with a very large memory capacity and back-up systems, built in many parts; all controlling different aspects of its electronic brain." Kyle responds, smiling cockily. "After all, what is the human brain if not a biological computer?" He asks rhetorically.

"Okay Kyle, you've made your point. The human brain is just a biological version of a mechanical computer. But how does this refer to Angie?" Captain Martinez asks dismissively.

"Because she's not a computer, as in a mechanical computer. She has a real brain Captain, her processors are a goddamned brain! Not a biological one I'll give you that, but the bloody thing has synthetic neurons and synapses. A FUCKING NEO CORTEX! The works Captain. Father made an electronic brain from a human imprint and then downloaded said human's consciousness into the fucking thing after deleting the actual memories!" Kyle finally slumps back onto the sofa, exhausted. His drink spilling over his hand as he collapses backwards.

"WHAT!?" Shooting up from his chair, Captain Martinez gapes at Kyle. "That's not possible." He whispers. "Surely that's not possible."

"Apparently it is." Kyle grimaces and drops the final bombshell. "There's a reason she's named after my sister. That's because, well, technically... She IS my sister, her consciousness anyways." Head hanging Kyle waits for the outburst with no small amount of trepidation.

"Well, that complicates things. Do you have proof Kyle?" The Captain's voice quietly asks.

"Yes Sir!" Standing, he drops the file he'd been carrying the entire time onto the Captain's desk. "It's all in there. And you can even view the uh, brain, digitally. but nothing can be tampered with as it's an entire computer system. I found it hidden away in father's work space. It's a tiny thing in comparison to what it's holding. There's more memory availability in that thing than she could every grow into." Letting out a large sigh, Kyle continues. "In fact Captain, she's as fallible as we are, and just as human, with every human emotion we have. Have you looked at the recording of the conversations you had with her yet Captain?"

Nodding his head distractedly as he peruses the documents, the Captain responds. "Yes, I have."

"Including the bit when you were out of the office calling and waiting for me?" He asks.

"No, I fast forwarded that part, she had no one to interact with, why would I watch that part."

"I think you should Captain. I really think you should." Kyle responds, gently.

Finally looking up from the paperwork, he stares at Kyle. "Why?"

"Just put it up on the screen Captain, please."

"Okay Kyle. Let's see what you're so interested in." He replies, activating the Sim window. Fast forwarding to the exact moment he left the office, he activates the recording and watches, only semi interested in what's happening. Then he hears Angie sigh and start to talk to thin air, and his attention rivets to the screen in shock.

"Watch her face Captain." Kyle whispers.

Martinez watches, and he see's two tears trickle down her simulated face, a hand rising to swipe them away as she speaks a final time. "Damn you Kevin for making me feel." Before the door opens to admit both Kyle and the Captain. Pausing the recording Captain Martinez turns to stare at Kyle.

"You knew that was going to happen. You've watched this recording haven't you?" He asks quietly.

Kyle nods. "Yes Captain, I broke into your files to watch her interactions with you and spotted this section."

"Dammit Kyle, my files are classified you can't just break into them and not expect to be disciplined...Harshly!"

"That's a given Captain, and you can punish me all you like once we've resolved this, but you're missing the important thing here." He responds negligently, dismissing the Captain's words with a flick of his hand.

"She was crying." Captain Martinez responds.

"Yes she was."

"Kyle, is she sentient?" Captain Martinez reluctantly asks.

"I'm, not sure Sir. In my personal opinion I'd say yes, however, we'd need a registered psychologist and a Doctor to examine her in order to make an official determination. And that would mean exposing her to more people."

"Damn, that could cause problems." Shaking his head, Captain Martinez mutters something under his breath.

"Sorry Sir, I didn't catch that."

"Just thinking out loud lad. I think we can trust Dr Lewis with this. He'll likely instinctually hate Angie more than anyone. So I can almost guarantee that if he gives her sentient status, it won't be for want of trying not to." He muses.

"Are you sure that's wise Sir? If he's liable to hate her that much." Curiosity ripples through Kyle's face. "If you don't mind me asking, uh. Why would Dr Lewis hate her so much?" He asks.

"He lost his son in Adam's damnable attack." A grimacing Captain replies. "I know it seems harsh, but it'd have to be the Dr anyway. This way at least we can see how much of an impact she'll have on him and his views. And if she can sway Dr Lewis then she can sway anyone."

A thoughtful Kyle slumps back onto the sofa, setting his now empty glass onto the coffee table. "Yes, I see your point. But is that really fair on Angie? We've both seen how emotional she is."

"No, if she's sentient, we're going to expose her to bigotry and hatred. but that's been rife in our history and we've dealt with it. Can we do any less than to allow her to deal with her own problems? We need to be sure how she's going to react Kyle. We can't have any uncertainty if she's to survive. She's too powerful."

"Captain she's utterly powerless! how could you say something like that?" Kyle shouts, his body tensed in anger.

"Think about it. She has the potential to be the smartest person in the world, with unlimited power and abilities. Think of the damage she could do if she became belligerent and uncooperative."

"Captain, would you murder a psychopath? Would you murder someone because they are different?" Kyle asks, a soft regret playing through his voice as he speaks.

Captain Martinez grimaces, a look of distaste showing on his face. "Of course not Kyle! What do you take me for? I'm not a monster."

"No? Then why are you treating Angie like she's something to be feared? She's done nothing but be helpful, and yet you're treating her like she's the enemy, simply because she is different."

A look of surprised comprehension flits across the Captain's face and he sighs. "I didn't realize my fear and hatred ran that deep Kyle. This may be harder than it looks. Even knowing you're right. I, just can't find it in me to trust her. The memory of Adam is too vivid. The lessons he taught us about putting too much trust in an AI, runs too deep."

"Then why not let her show us we can trust her? It's not like she'll have true control. And if something happens we can delete her. That option will always be available to us, kind of like a safeguard." Kyle says, attempting to make an acceptable compromise.

"First, we need to test her. I mean a full and comprehensive test." Leaning forward, an almost evil grin encompasses the Captain's face.

"I have an idea." He says as he activates Angie's programme.