The gentle hum of the computer fans started up as the Navi whirred into life. All throughout the room the lights of the hubs, monitors and base stations flared up creating a strange multicoloured glow to the room. Lain sat back on her chair and closed her eyes as the whirring of the dozens of hard drives began next, a hypnotic clicking sound like a field of crickets temporarily droned out the fans. Lain smiled, she loved the start up sounds, the most active part of a computer's cycle. Her multi-processor hybrid machine was no different, just a lot bigger. As the activity slowly died away and the sound of the whirring fans came back into the foreground Lain opened her eyes and stared at the logging screen. The monitor throbbed with an inviting glow, Lain could see the signal glide down the monitor's display as she stared at it, the almost invisible flashes as the screen updated its information. It was beautiful.
Please state the user. The computer chimed in its artificial voice.
Lain leant forward and gently stroked the screen. I wonder what its like to be you. She said softly. To exist as zeroes and ones, carrying out your basic little program.
Incorrect password. It chimed in reply. Please state again.
Lain sighed. Life is just like a computer program, events lead to decisions which lead to more events. Do I go to school today, if I do, shall I buy lunch or take my own. If I take my own, do I ask Mom to make it or me, if I do Lain smiled. Same for you my little Navi. Is this Lain's voice, if it is not, deny access, if so, allow Lain to see her e-mail, if she wants to read her e-mail show her the main screen.
Incorrect password. It chimed in reply. Please state again.
But for you it's easy, you don't deal with the randomness of life, there is no sudden changes, just the flow of information, if you don't understand a request you do nothing. I don't understand a lot of things at the moment, but I can't just ignore them either. You're so lucky."
Incorrect password. It chimed in reply. Please state again.
Lain chuckled. "See, you made my point. Lain, password Newton."
The main Navi window flashed into view, as the colours shifted Lain noticed a figure reflected in the screen, a figure behind her. She turned around and met eyes with Mika, her elder sister. Mika was standing, not too far from the doorway, her eyes staring vacantly at her. "Hi Mika." Lain said with a smile, she knew her sister didn't like her, in fact, she was quite sure Mika wasn't her sister at all, but she had always been polite to her, in some way she wished Mika would like her, Lain liked Mika.
Mika went to talk, a few mumbles can out, a hand lifted slowly, pointing to the windowsill.
"What is it Mika? Do you want another teddy?" Lain asked, climbing to her feet.
Mika nodded slowly, it could've just as easily been a twitch.
Lain stood up and crossed her floor, she reached up to the windowsill where several stuffed animals were arranged. She reached up and picked up a dog with a long nose.
Mika mumbled again.
"Oh, not this one huh?" Lain reached for another one, a bird, held inside a wicker cage. "I think you'll like this one today."
Mika took it, a small smile can to her face, she mumbled again.
"You're welcome Mika." Lain turned back to her Navi and sat down. "Poor Mika, she's really not feeling well. She doesn't have many choices to make either, I guess she's better like that, nothing to worry about."
"Would you like to read e-mail?" asked the computer, it had sensed a lack of activity and its programming had alerted it to inform the user of a possible action.
Lain reached for the keyboard. "That choice is easy, perhaps you'll give me a tougher one when I connect to The Wired tonight, I wonder if you can really choose what to show me?"
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Choices
Copyright Jody Armstrong 2001
jody.armstrong@ntlworld.com