OTHERLIVES
by Wendy Metcalfe
Copyright 2011 Wendy Metcalfe
Smashwords Edition
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"Well, Thor, you got real messy this time." Captain Flint Jalland eased his cleaning tool in between the treads and hooked out a hardened lump of clay.
"Parry's World is one big mess," Thor replied.
Flint laughed and slapped the bomb disposal machine's flank. "They only send us where it's messy, friend. People find bombs on construction sites usually. Turn around," he said and stepped back while Thor swivelled on his treads to present the other side to him. Flint kneeled down and began cleaning again. Thor could never be considered beautiful, the army didn't make bomb disposal machines to look pretty, but he was smart. Intelligent Bomb Disposal Unit. Flint snorted. As if you could describe a machine of his intelligence in terms of initials.
He eased out the last piece of clay, flipped it away to join the other tread-shaped pieces on the pile, then rose to his feet. "You're finished. Go get checked out. Sam's on shift, I've asked him to do it."
"Thank you," Thor said. "I appreciate that,"
"I know you do," Flint said as he watched the machine make its way inside the hangar.
~~~~
Colonel Mohan Ghafur turned from the window. "You see what I mean?" he demanded.
Staff Captain Davad Thane shrugged. "I see only a man talking as he works. Many handlers talk to their machines that way."
"Yes, but in most cases their machines don't answer back. This one does." The Colonel frowned. "Stupid idea giving front-line machines high intelligence."
"It's intended to help them make the right decisions."
"The only decision a BDU needs to make is which component to pull first. They're cheap and expendable."
"They aren't that cheap these days, sir. And the thinking now is that if they're helped to make the right decisions we won't lose as many."
"They should never have put AIs into them. Where will it end?"
"I don't know, sir," Davad said. "Do you wish me to do anything about Flint?"
The Colonel sighed, then glanced out of the window. "Just keep an eye on him."
~~~~
Flint was summoned to the briefing the next morning. This time they'd at least allowed him the luxury of a night's sleep after landing on-planet. Sometimes he thought the damned army saw him as a machine too.
Colonel Ghafur entered the room, escorting a burly man in a bright blue jumpsuit. Wonder what we've got this time, Flint thought. Civilians always complicated a job with their histrionics about how much this delay was costing them.
The Colonel took his seat, indicating to his guest to sit beside him. "This is Magallan Mestra," he said. "He's the Project Manager for Phase One of the spaceport build. I've called this meeting to discuss the mission." He touched a key on the table and the screen lit. "As we know, the suspect object is here…"
"Suspect object?" Magallan interrupted. "Aren't you sure what it is? I thought you people were the experts!"
The Colonel looked uncomfortable for a moment, then said "No, we don't know what this is. It matches no known human device."
"Are you telling me this thing is alien?"
"Not at present, sir. I'm just saying that we haven't identified it yet. We need to do a close camera surveillance before we tackle it."
"So I might be holding up the build for some damned thing that ain't a bomb at all?"
"That is true," the Colonel agreed. "But are you prepared to take the risk?"
Flint smiled to himself. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd witnessed this kind of confrontation. They always gave in and did what the Army wanted in the end.
"No, of course not," Magallan growled. "So let's get on with this, shall we?"
The Colonel caught Flint's eyes. "Over to you, Jalland."
"Thank you sir. If you don't mind, I'd like to control the machine from outside. I can make quicker decisions that way."
"Very well. Get to it."
Flint beat a hasty retreat out of the ops room. Thor was waiting for him by the time he got into the yard. He walked over and spoke to the machine, turning his back on the ops room window as he did. He pried loose the remote from Thor's flank. "How did you know to come out here?" he asked. "Did they tell Sam to send you?"
There was a pause, then Thor said "I was following your thoughts."
"How could you?" Flint demanded.
"I don't know. I have been able to sense them for months now. Now I can hear you clearly."
Flint straightened up. "We've gotta be careful here, friend. They won't like this development."
"I know. Give me control, Flint. I don't trust this object."
Without hesitation Flint turned to remote off. "This one looks a little like that Carellan depth charge you defused on Tapa 4," he said.
"I agree. It might make sense to consider it as being Carellan."
"Keep an open mind, fella," Flint said as the machine rolled away from him.
He walked out of the yard, around the corner to where he had a visual to Thor. He felt anxious. This object was unknown, and Thor could get seriously hurt.
Acknowledging that made him admit what he'd denied for months. Thor is as sentient as me, he thought. He wondered if he should've told someone. No, this was best kept to himself. At least if he was with Thor he could protect him.
Thor rolled close to the object, extended a camera boom to maximum length and began to take images of it. Flint squinted at them as the came up on the remote, then remembered to forward them on to the ops room. They didn't make much sense on his tiny screen, he'd need the mags to get a handle on this one. Thor did a full circuit, then moved in closer. Flint drew in his breath.
I have scanned for traps. I detect none.
Flint started at the words in his mind. He nearly dropped the remote in his surprise. What was this?
I am sending a modulated pulse that you can detect, Thor said calmly.
How can he hear me? Flint thought.
It has taken me six months to tune my sensors to do this, Thor replied.
"How's the object looking?" Flint asked, taking refuge in the familiar after such a startling discovery.
Strange. There is a trace of E-M fluctuation, but it is not a pattern that would type it as a motion sensor.
"Don't underestimate it."
I will not. I am moving back and then I will try a scanner pulse.
An hour later Thor announced it had got all the data it could without physically touching the object. "Then come back," Flint said. "We need to review all this. I'll not risk you unnecessarily."
I know, Thor said. Now I think it is my turn to tell you to be careful.
~~~~
"So there you have it," Flint said. It had been a long debrief, and particularly searching. He'd been on trial as much as the suspect object.
"Recommendations?" The Colonel asked.
"I'd like a couple of hours to follow up the Carellan angle, sir. Study the files."
Magallan leaned forward and scowled at him. "More delays! Do you know how much a day this is costing me?"
"Not as much as it would in personal injury damages if a bomb kills your workers." Flint couldn't believe he'd said it out loud. "My apologies," he said hastily. "That came out badly. What I meant to say was…"
"You said exactly what you meant!" Magallan snapped.
"Jalland, you're dismissed," the Colonel said. "Report to Captain Thane in half an hour."
~~~~
Davad Thane was alone in his office when Flint got there. "Reporting as ordered, sir," he said and settled into the offered chair. "May I know what kind of a meeting this is?"
"Just a friendly chat, Flint, that's all."
"Why?"
"Davad's blue eyes held his. "The Colonel requested this meeting. He's of the opinion you're holding something back that you should have reported. Something important."
"Is this conversation being recorded, sir?"
"No, it isn't. And you can lose the sir. I like to think we've become friends."
"What do you want from me?"
Davad sighed. "Flint, I'm in a tough spot. The Colonel's convinced you've go some kind of unhealthy fascination with your IBDU. He's asked me to investigate it."
"Thor. His name is Thor. That's his own choice. He's fascinated by the exploits of the ancient Terran gods." Davad's eyes opened wide in response to that and Flint nodded. "I can see you understand the implications of that."
Davad leaned forward in his seat. "Will you answer one question for me? Strictly off the record."
"That depends on the question. And what you'll do with the answer."
"Fair enough. The question is: how intelligent is Thor? As for what I'll do with the answer, I don't know until I've heard it."
"That's fair," Flint conceded. He paused for a moment, considering options. He decided to go for the truth. "Thor is as sentient as you and me."
"You're sure?"
Flint nodded. "This isn't some handler's daydream, it's hard fact. He's sentient. Now answer my question, please. What will you do with this information?"
Davad's face grew serious. "I don't know."
~~~~
Flint got the expected summons to see the Colonel later that day. "Sit down," he said as Flint entered his office. "I want to give you your orders myself. So there can be no misunderstanding."
"Yes, sir," Flint said. His heart sank.
"We've wasted enough time pussyfooting around collecting data on this thing. It's time we acted." He turned to look out of the window and frowned. "If it didn't go dark so damned early in these latitudes I'd have that machine out now pulling that object. I want you out there at 0900 in the morning, ready to make safe and remove it. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"We'll get that object dealt with tomorrow even if it blows up your machine. Do I make myself clear?"
"Sir…"
The Colonel frowned. "One more word out of you, Jalland, and you'll be on the first shuttle back to Central. Understood?"
"Perfectly, sir."
"Good. Dismissed!"
~~~~
Flint woke to the beep of the coms signal. He thrashed around in bed for a moment, getting tangled in his blanket, then sat up. The 'Urgent, Report Immediately' light was blinking at him. He rubbed his eyes, squinted at the chrono, and groaned. This early start was as welcome as an ice-cold shower. He reached for the coms switch.
"Captain Jalland reporting, sir."
"Flint, what the hell have you been up to?" The Colonel barked.
"I'm sorry, sir?"
"That damned machine of yours has disappeared. I want to know where it is. Now!"
"Disappeared? Where?" This conversation wasn't making sense.
"I was expecting you to tell me that, Flint."
"I don't know, sir."
"Don't tell me that! I know you've hidden it somewhere."
"No sir, I haven't hidden it."
The Colonel hesitated for a moment, then said "Briefing in the Ops Room at 0700. Be on time, Flint."
That was nasty, Flint thought as he closed the channel. He debated which he needed most, a shower or breakfast. Breakfast won, and he dressed quickly and made for the mess hall. Davad Thane was there when he walked in, sitting alone at a table in an alcove. Flint grabbed his breakfast and went to sit with him. "What did you tell the Colonel?" he demanded.
"I told him you believed Thor was sentient. He seemed bothered by it."
"I got the works thrown at me last night. We were going to deal with that object today whatever the cost."
"Were?"
"Thor's disappeared. The Colonel's certain I've hidden him. There's a briefing at seven."
"I know. I'm invited. Did you hide him?" Davad asked.
Flint shook his head. "I have no more idea where he is than you do."
~~~~
The team briefing consisted of the Colonel and Davad. The personnel officer looked uncomfortable sitting on the Colonel's left. At least that oaf Magallan isn't here, Flint thought. We can fight this battle in private. He took the seat opposite Thane. The personnel officer wouldn't meet his eyes.
The Colonel opened the meeting. "At dawn Alpha Watch came on-shift. They did the usual checks of the site. The IBDU was gone. There were no signs of any disturbance."
"Was the garage locked and alarmed as usual when Alpha Watch came on shift, sir?" Flint asked.
The Colonel glowered at him. "Yes, it was. So tell us what you did with the IBDU."
Flint looked him straight in the eyes. "I did nothing, sir." He held the contact, turning it into a challenge.
"Don't give me that! If you believe this thing is sentient you'll want to protect it. So I ask you again: where is it?"
"I say again sir, I don't know. The first I knew about him being missing was when you called me this morning."
"So the IBDU didn't discuss this with you?" Thane asked.
"No, he didn't. This is entirely his decision."
"In case you've forgotten, Jalland, we're on a commercial contract here," the Colonel said. "We're already on penalties for delay. I want that IBDU found. A.S.A.P."
~~~~
Flint walked to the crest of the ridge and looked down on the valley below. Sunset was beginning, the colours cooler-toned than the shades of a Terran sky. He was only half-aware of it. His mind was reviewing the events of the day.
The new man the Colonel had brought in refused to touch the suspect object without more information. It didn't even give Flint satisfaction that his caution was right.
He took another turn along the ridge, wondering how he was going to find Thor. He could be holed up anywhere. There was very little terrain on this planet that the machine couldn't handle. His wristcom beeped and he opened the channel. "Flint, recall your team. We'll make a start at dawn tomorrow."
"Yes, sir," he said and signalled to his people to wrap up.
Davad came to see him as he grabbed a late dinner in the mess hall. "I hear you didn't find him."
"No." Flint sighed. "I keep trying to think like him, but it's not working. And if he wants to, he can go on avoiding us for ever."
"Won't he miss you?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. What bothers the Colonel is your friendship with Thor. It makes the machine seem almost human."
"He's not."
Davad made a disgusted noise and said "Think, Flint! Who's been around him since he became the tiniest bit aware? You have. You birthed this machine, you helped it grow up, you shaped its personality."
"You make it sound like a child."
"Wasn't it? Didn't the fledgling intelligence need the same kinds of inputs a child does? Guidance, discipline, approval, friendship? You gave him all of those, Flint. Sometime he's gonna miss you and want to come home."
~~~~
Flint woke before dawn, after a restless night. At Davad's suggestion he'd left a message trigger on his coms system for Thor, using the private code only he and the machine knew. He'd also put on there the files of the meetings about him. He hoped Thor would scan them and decide it was safe to show himself.
He breakfasted and assembled his search team, then headed out to his assigned territory, a section of rough gorge alongside the Marnin River. The hillside provided many opportunities for cover. Thor could be in any one of them.
It was hot work scrambling up and down the hillside. There were a good dozen caves there, and searching them all took time. Flint tried sending his thought out in every place he searched, but go no reply. By the time the team trailed back into the yard he was hot, tired, and thoroughly depressed.
The Colonel ordered them to the ops room, and Flint prepared himself for another gruelling debrief. He sat wrapped up in his own thoughts while the other team leaders made their reports. The Colonel turned to him, and he was about the launch into his report when his wristcom beeped. The unexpected noise startled him, and he stared at the device for a second. Then he realised what it was. Thor's private code.
"Something we should know about, Jalland?"
Flint raised his eyes and saw the Colonel watching him. He nodded, and keyed the message over to the ops screens.
<<Have read your files. Flint, I need to talk to you. About my future.>>
"What does it mean, Jalland?" the Colonel asked.
"I don't know, sir…" he paused as a further message came in.
<<Can you guarantee me safe passage into the yard – and out of it if I need to escape?>>
Flint felt a moment of unease at that. He hadn't meant to betray Thor by making his message public. He just wanted to show them what the machine really was.
"We own the damn thing!" The Colonel growled.
"I don't think we can any more, sir," Davad said. "I think the Species' Rights Code applies to Thor now."
"Thor? What idiot gave it that name?" The Colonel demanded.
"It did sir," Flint said. "Do you want me to answer it, sir? And what do you want me to say?"
The silence lasted a long time, then the Colonel sighed. "Tell it we guarantee it free passage."
"Out as well as in sir?" Flint pressed.
The Colonel nodded. "Yes. Both ways."
Flint thrust down his misgivings and said "I'll reply on my wristcom, sir. It'll know it's me that way."
"Very well."
Flint thought fast. He hoped Thor would understand the potential dangers from his scan of the files. He replied with the promised guarantee of safe passage, but couldn't resist adding <<Be careful, Thor.>>
<<I intend to be. Look for me at sunset>> the machine replied. Flint didn't key that through to the ops screens, he reported it verbally.
"Very well," the Colonel said. "Since it seems we can't deal with this suspect object without this machine we have no option but to wait for it to return."
~~~~
The sunset was glorious but Flint wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. As dusk approached he went out into the yard, paced around it several times, then struck off towards the excavation with its suspect object. He had to keep moving, he was so full of nervous energy he'd explode if he didn't.
When he returned to the yard he found Davad Thane standing there. "Do you think the Colonel'll keep his word?" Flint asked him.
"He has no choice. The problem's been kicked upstairs."
"So whose problem is it now?"
"Division Psychologist Tanny Redd. She's on your side. She's been researching the incidence of sentience in higher-function AIs."
"This is too good to be true," Flint said. "It can't be that easy."
Davad laughed. "Oh, it won't be. Thor will have to argue his case. And she is very thorough. But if this machine is as smart as you say that should be easy for it."
Flint didn't reply. He was beginning to get nervous. Where the hell was Thor? It would be dark soon. He turned as something moved behind him, then gasped. Thor was silhouetted against the sunset. Some trick of perspective had positioned the machine directly in front of the setting sun. The eclipse effect made it seem much bigger and more menacing than it was.
"Quite an entrance," Davad said.
"You think so?"
"If you were a four feet high machine taking on giants wouldn't you want to look as big and scary as you could?"
"Yeah, I would. But that's real advanced thinking."
"Indeed it is."
Flint turned at the sound of the woman's voice. Someone had switched on the yard floods, and she stood in a pool of light behind him. She smiled, and held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Tanny Redd. So this is our wonder machine," she said, turning to study Thor.
"Yeah," Flint said, and felt suddenly embarrassed by all the attention. His relationship with Thor had been a private affair, now she was prying it open to public view.
She smiled again and said "It's always difficult to talk about this kind of closeness. You…"
"Closeness?" he interrupted.
She laughed. "You don't think you're the first handler put in this position, do you? I get called to these assessments pretty regularly these days."
"Assessments?" He felt like a robot, parroting back her words, but she'd totally wrong-footed him with her practical response.
"Yeah. They don't make these incidents public, do they? How long've you been partnered with Thor?"
"Five years."
"Hmm. Longer than most." She turned to face the machine as it rolled towards Flint. "Let's say hello, shall we?"
Flint walked forward, eager to talk to Thor first. He reached the machine and kneeled down, putting his hand flat on its flank as he usually did. "Where you been fella?" he asked.
"Hiding. I saw you in the gorge."
"Why didn't you talk to me?" he asked, then too late realised what he'd said.
"Talk as in telepath?" Tanny asked. Flint nodded. "Now that is unusual." She knelt down beside him. "Hello, Thor. My name's Tanny Redd. I've come to assess you. We need to do that to get you registered."
"Registered as what?" Flint asked.
"You mean they didn't tell you?"
"They told me nothing."
Tanny's mouth flattened in disapproval. "Damned Army! Play at being God, then when they've created life try to disown it. Registered, as in registered sentient being. They keep a register, you know."
"I didn't," Flint said. "What happens to the registered machines?"
She laughed. "They offer 'em commissions."
"To work for nothing?"
Tanny turned to face him. "At some stage Thor'll need maintenance. The commission gives him access to as much maintenance and part replacement as he needs."
"Oh. And who decides if he gets registered?"
Tanny smiled. "I do."
~~~~