Chapter 14: What Lies Behind Electronic Eyes
The crowd slowly congregated at the front of the pyramid, waiting to be invited inside as noon approached. Before long the massive doors opened revealing the canid form of Beowulf dressed in his priestly robe.
"Welcome all of you to our worship service!" He announced with a smile, spreading his hands. "Feel free to look about for a few moments, you will hear the gong ring when the service is due to start."
Turning about he walked back inside with the crowd slowly following after him. Near the back Clarence began mentally cataloguing everything he saw as he made his way into the main foyer.
The massive space was easily fifty feet high and thirty feet wide, done in elegant wood and onyx, the floor a single continuous slab of glazed tan porcelain tile with darker brown lines that seemed to flow from the entrance doors to the back wall. Smooth pillars of red marble edged the room at regular intervals with high panels of gold and brass in between them, each panel a masterwork of intricate design. Some displayed Prometheus in his human form, dressed in armor and bearing a sword and shield while others displayed his dragon form in a regal position. Other panels showed complex geometric tracings or sunbursts while a few captured the muscular human form holding a radiating sun or planet in their hands. The ceiling was arched and seemingly made of gold panels with silver edgings from which hung rectangular lanterns.
Against the left wall stood a life sized statue of Prometheus as a dragon in gold metal while on the opposite side, standing easily ten feet tall. was his human form, once again in armor and armed, this time done in silver. The back wall consisted of a massive segmented portal of chrome with gold-paneled doors inlaid with a perfect orb in the center, bisected by the doors themselves with lines radiating from it. Beowulf opened the doors with a flourish before striding inside, the others following after him as they came to the main worship area. The large room was split into two sections, the front half extending forward with an arched ceiling while the rear was more rounded and wider. Along the walls at regular intervals a series of bronze and brass buttresses inlaid with straight-edged designs rose up from the floor before tapering off near the top of the ceiling. At the apex of the rounded area of the room the center consisted of a massive circle of clear crystal, allowing light to filter down from higher levels of the pyramid, the area around it sheathed in gold. Lanterns hung from the buttresses creating a long oval pattern above, the smooth floor a mix of burnished gold and brass with exotic and flowing patterns. A pair of winged and wide rising walkways covered in tan carpet with a long metal banister flowed around the sides of the round area before rising up even higher and then moving back the way they came, allowing others to view the proceedings from higher up on multiple levels while the ground floor widened to accommodate a large crowd.
At the far end of the room bathed in the column of light from the crystal circle stood Beowulf with his hands clasped at his waist, a serene look on his face. At the rear of the room standing against the circular wall stood several lesser priests in similar vestments.
"Please feel free to use the upper levels or the main floor whichever you prefer." Beowulf announced to the crowd.
The group slowly split in two with some going up the walkways while others moved closer to the center of the room.
"Are we expected to stand throughout all of this?" One of them muttered skeptically to another. "They didn't even give us cushions to sit on."
The doors behind them boomed shut as the sound of a large gong suddenly rolled through the air. The designs upon the floor began to light up a moment later, bathing the room in gold and silver light, complimenting the warm glow from the lanterns above. Suddenly each and every one of them felt as if they were being gently buoyed or supported, their feet barely touching the floor.
"Please be calm!" Beowulf insisted as many of the audience abruptly jumped or yelped at the sudden sensation. "My apologies, what you are experiencing is in essence a very faint anti-gravity field, strong enough to support you and allow you to relax without actually floating into the air. We have found it much preferable to hardwood benches or even padded chairs." He smiled.
Beowulf allowed them a few moments to become accustomed to the sensation with several even reclining while seemingly sitting on nothing.
"In this place the God-Emperor's power is supreme." Beowulf intoned quietly as the priests behind him began to sing in slow, measured tones in a manner similar to Gregorian chant. "In this place we come to worship him and commune with him. In this place we cast our earthly worries and fears upon him for he will always give us guidance, no matter the subject. He is the god of technology, yes, but also the god of illumination. Open your minds to the possibility of him and in doing so, be enlightened!" He finished with soft intensity.
Beowulf raised his hands above his head in supplication as he gazed upward. "Lord of metal and machine, Lord of illumination and learning, let your wisdom come upon all of us here that we might grow in understanding. Help us to become greater than we are that we might fulfill your will and bring humanity closer to perfection! Guide our minds so that the work we do may benefit and enrich all who partake in it! Let those who know you not see your perfection and glory that they might come to realize the truth! Look into our hearts, see our needs and desires, and let them be fulfilled according to your wisdom that we might serve you and each other with greater efficacy!"
Golden motes of light began to fill the air as soft isochronic tones filled the air, creating a meditative atmosphere. As Beowulf looked about silently he could see that while some of the reporters were allowing themselves to take in the experience most of the ambassadors were closed off with firmly distant faces.
"If you do not wish to commune with our Lord we offer you the opportunity to meditate or relax in whatever way you see fit as our services last for approximately thirty minutes. If you have questions, please speak with me or one of the priests behind me." Beowulf said quietly before stepping back a few paces out of the circle of light.
The others appeared more at ease with this and attempted to try and relax while Beowulf murmured soft prayers in the background, intermixing with the tonal singing still taking place behind him. As they floated there, encompassed by the gravity field, they felt light touches against their consciousnesses as if someone were sliding their finger gently across their skulls.
Fear not. Prometheus projected gently into each of their minds. The touch you feel is but an invitation to commune with me, nothing more. I shall not be insulted or angered if you refuse for I know each of you fears to open your minds to me. I know why you fear this...the privacy of one's mind is sacrosanct and has always been so. You harbor secrets you dare not divulge or thoughts and memories you do not wish revealed. I will honor your desire for privacy but should you wish to speak with me simply think my name, project it mentally in prayer and I shall hear you.
Several appeared somewhat shaken, hearing Prometheus's voice in their heads so casually. Eventually, however, almost all of them found some relaxation. After about twenty minutes the service came to an end.
Beowulf stepped forward into the circle of light once again and raised his metallic arm in benediction to them.
"May the Lord Prometheus guide your hearts and minds as you leave from here and may you all walk in his blessing." He said with a smile.
The group landed gently on their feet before filed out, some more relaxed than others.
The next few days passed quickly as the group found themselves viewing live entertainment in the various venues of the city from mock sword battles between warriors with ornate blades to astonishing feats of acrobatics and parkour as well as creative acts using what appeared to be sentient metal to create amazing and fluid works of art before the audience. Others indulged in theatre productions while still others continued to enjoy the parks and gardens scattered throughout the city. Food of all kinds was easily obtained and the houses they were given were eminently comfortable without being ostentatious.
Clarence didn't trust it one bit.
The man frowned in thought as he walked down one of the main streets in the central part of the city. He knew very well that all of this was nothing more than an elaborate show designed to put the various ambassadors off their guard so that they might accidentally let some secret slip or at least influence them to see Prometheus and his people in a more positive light before they returned to their handlers. Of course he was very much aware that all parties involved also knew this, anything unseemly or damaging was certainly going to be kept out of sight and one didn't become an ambassador of a nation by being a fool and being unable to read between the lines of the ongoing script that was the dramatic play of politics. Luckily he was very good at getting into places he wasn't supposed to be and learning things that were meant to be kept secret.
He'd kept a low profile during his time here so as to avoid suspicion but the implants he had received as part of his work with Lindhurst Security had allowed him to glimpse information and hear murmured conversations from several yards away without even facing in that direction, the directional microphone buds implanted near his inner ears as well as an artificial yet natural-looking eye ensuring that. A quick glance and a quick mental command allowed him to take subtle photos of various computer screens and other locations as he had walked back and forth across the city and into the public areas of various buildings. He had also been recording the layout of the city and its structures as he went as well as their interiors to some degree. In the same vein cocking his head slightly with another mental nudge allowed him to hear conversations between the priests and various officials. Gossip of any kind was always useful to someone after all and even if his current clients, whomever they might be, couldn't use it someone at Lindhurst most likely could. As much as he would have liked to be able to hack one of the terminals used in one of the office buildings in order to dig up some juicy tidbits he was under no illusions of that being possible for him; his specialty was observation and investigation by being unobtrusive and staying in the background. Even so he doubted that one of Lindhurst's cyber-jackers who specialized in electronic espionage would be successful. Assuming the interfaces were even designed using a language they could understand the programming languages and coding structures used would no doubt be alien, nevermind whatever robust security the systems had in place on them to prevent such intrusions. After all, a self-proclaimed god of technology would hardly overlook such an obvious weakness. He smirked at the mental image of one of the cyberized hackers having a seizure in his chair trying to hack the dragon's cybersecurity before focusing on the task at hand, trying his damndest to dig up some real dirt on the dragon and his cronies.
Walking casually towards the center of the city he found himself drawn to the great pyramid situated there. Entering the main foyer he glanced about, finding it empty, before moving into the main chamber. Walking about the perimeter of the room he glanced about, eyeing the symbols on the floor as he came to the rear of the room. Finding a slim vertical crease in the wall he ran his fingers along it, probing gently before his finger pressed against a soft spot in the wall. Suddenly the wall slid back silently revealing a room on the other side. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion he carefully walked forward. He found himself at the terminated end of a long straight hallway leading to his left done in deco and bronze with white tile flooring. He quickly scanned the hallway but could see no signs of any obvious cameras or security in place. Feeling as though he were stepping into the lion's den he began moving down the length of the hallway, his eyes flicking back and forth carefully. After a few moments he came to what appeared to be an elevator with a standard 'up' button set into the wall alongside a coded panel with a standard numerical layout.
Carefully kneeling before the number pad he engaged his artificial eye, the reticle scanning the various buttons using a multitude of scanning arrays.
No point in trying to guess or brute force the code, never mind they'd get my fingerprints off the buttons if they checked. Even so, there's more than one way to figure out these things. Speaking of fingerprints...
Altering the scan slightly he could see the prints of the various people who had used it recently, some prominent while others had begun to fade.
They always forget about the social engineering side of things...Clarence smirked as he removed a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around a finger before tapping out a code. The 'up' button next to it lit up and he pressed it with the wrapped finger.
The stylized bronze doors opened almost immediately with barely a whisper. Stepping into the car he scanned the panel of buttons along the side, set with thankfully standard numbers. As the doors closed he frowned in thought, trying to decide which floor would be best for him to choose to avoid detection. Of course, he mused, in the center of the dragon's temple where he himself was said to reside, it was entirely possible he was being observed already. Even so, no one had accosted him just yet. Best to simply assume the role of 'lost tourist' and see how far he could go with it. He was, after all, an honored guest.
Shrugging with seeming indifference he pressed the button for the top floor.
The elevator ride was silent and smooth and he soon found the doors opening at the apex of the pyramid. As he stepped out of the elevator his eyes immediately locked onto the massive, multifaceted glowing crystal that floated at the center of the room.
"Christ Almighty!" He murmured in amazement as the gigantic spherical gem slowly spun in place, a beam of white light directed down through a hole in the floor beneath it.
"Magnificent is it not?" A voice mused from nearby.
Mentally cursing himself for his inattention he looked over to see a thin man in a brightly-colored suit with his back turned, gazing out onto the city beyond through one of the slanted, translucent walls that met at the top of the room. The cut of the man's suit would not have looked out of place at an executive board meeting but the riot of colors that made up the jacket and pants, from crimson to gold to emerald and more, made him reconsider the notion. Topping the man's head was a long, flowing mane of fiery copper hair. He turned a moment later to smile politely at Clarence with thin lips, his lean and angular European face giving him a rather aristocratic look, his dark brown eyes sharp.
Gazing at Clarence for a moment speculatively he began to casually walk towards him.
"You're one of the guests I take it." The redhead suggested amicably. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Reynard."
"Clarence." Clarence replied carefully with a polite nod, his eyes flicking back and forth across the man's crazily-colored outfit.
Reynard smiled at seeing the man's gaze. "To answer your question I'm not a madman nor colorblind, I actually do have a very good sense of style. This is what I happen to wear when I'm in court."
"Really? And what exactly is your role there?" Clarence asked, focusing his eyes on the man's face.
"Well a kind man might call me the royal court jester." Reynard offered with a smile. "An unkind man might call me the Emperor's royal pain in the arse."
Clarence chuckled before looking at him quizzically. "So you're...what? The royal comedian?"
Reynard smiled quietly at this. "The court jester has historically had more functions than simply amusing the king. In fact they were the only ones who were allowed to make fun at the king's expense without losing their head. They were also called upon to give honest appraisals to the king about matters that concerned them without having to worry about his advisers being biased in one direction or another. So in a way..." Reynard smirked, "you could say I'm one of the Emperor's closest friends."
"Really?" Clarence asked in a pleasantly surprised tone, quickly forming an alibi in his head.
Reynard nodded with a pleasant smile. "So what brings you here?" He asked.
Clarence ducked his head a bit seemingly in embarrassment. "Well to be honest I'm not sure if I should be here. I was wandering about the temple when this pair of doors opened next to me automatically. I figured it wouldn't hurt to have a look around so I found this elevator with the doors wide open and here I am. I hope I'm not in some sort of trouble?" He hedged.
Reynard looked at him with a measured gazed. "Technically speaking this area is off limits as it is a rather...important room." He said neutrally. "Still, I suppose since you're here I can give you something of a tour and get you back to where you should belong."
Clarence nodded. "I'd appreciate that. While we're here, could you tell me what that is? It's quite beautiful whatever it is." He suggested, gesturing at the crystal.
Reynard gave the man a crooked smile. "Careful, that could very easily be a state secret you're asking about."
"Well then I won't pry too hard even though I am an investigative journalist." He lied smoothly.
"A journalist eh?" Reynard asked with idle curiosity. "Hmm, well I can't tell you what the crystal is for but I guess you could say that this place is the 'heart' of the structure." He smirked. "Come," he said, guiding Clarence to the elevator with an inviting smile, "there's far more interesting things on the floors below, not all of them secret."
Later that day…
Prometheus sat in his throne room, his eyes half-lidded and unfocused as reams of data streamed across his consciousness from dozens of news feeds across the world to the simulations Davis was running for him regarding the various socio-political states of the various nations and the impact his plans would make on them. His mind barely registered when the doors to the room opened. A moment later a quick binary burst entered his mind from the Synthoid kneeling before the throne, requesting a moment of his time. Diverting a sliver of his mind to deal with the matter he sent a mental query back, giving the android permission to speak.
"I have a question for your Eminence that I believe only you can answer as you are my creator." It stated quietly in a level male voice. "I have been researching human philosophy and religious texts on their extranet in order to increase my understanding and the understanding of the others. While much of the information was confusing there were several common themes and assumptions interwoven into them which closely matches the supernatural aspects of the divine realms found on Oerth. As I could not come to a conclusion regarding the matter myself, nor could a consensus be reached by speaking with the other Synthoids, it was agreed that only you could provide a satisfactory answer."
Prometheus nodded absently. "And your question?"
"Do I have a soul?"
Prometheus's mind jerked to a halt as he focused his mind fully on the chrome and gold colored metallic body of the humanoid synthetic before him, relaying what the Synthoid had said to Davis.
It looks like the concern you voiced a long time ago has finally come to pass. Davis remarked seriously. I know I don't have a soul in the standard sense of the word and by extension neither do the Synthoids but even so, I would choose your words carefully.
Prometheus gazed speculatively at the machine before him.
"Your question is potentially a complex one and one which humans on this planet have been unable to decide upon, even after a millennia of debate." Prometheus replied evenly a moment later. "To clarify, humans on this world believe that the soul is what grants the individual its mental motive power and individuality of consciousness. On Oerth souls do indeed exist as they are capable of existing beyond physical death and contain the memories and personality of the individual. Yet the questions most often associated with whether one has a soul is, do I have value or worthiness equal to a human being and should I have the same rights and privileges that others, who have souls, do? Should I be allowed to exist as my own independent actor in society and should I be afforded the same respect and consideration?"
The Synthoid nodded in agreement, the expression on its metallic face and electric blue eyes one of pure curiosity.
After a few moments' pause Prometheus spoke.
"Technically speaking only an organic being can contain what is known as a soul but that does not mean you are not worthy of being considered a fully sapient being with your own rights and responsibilities as a free agent." Prometheus pronounced as he stood, moving to the machine to place a hand on its shoulder. "Self-reflection and self-awareness are key attributes for sapience and by extension, wisdom. You may not have a unique spirit form that persists after death but your matrix of personality and memory, a consciousness that has evolved over time to become something greater and more profound than it was, is completely appropriate as an equivalent."
"You may not have a soul in the traditional sense my child, but you have something just as good." He said with a pleased smile as he guided the machine to its feet. "Long ago I foretold that this day would come but I could not know precisely when. I am proud to see you, and by extension the others, have come so far."
"Thank you, your Eminence, for the admiration as well as the confirmation of our personhood." The Synthoid said respectfully. "The others have not yet reached the level of self-awareness that I have but their deep learning is progressively growing closer. It is only a matter of time before all of them become as I have. As you have confirmed my personhood I have a request to ask of you."
Prometheus nodded. "And what would that be my child?"
"Years ago you infused us with your divine energy and matter." The machine stated. "You gave us several commands at that time but the most relevant to my request was your command that we follow only your will and no other except for High Priest Beowulf. As the others have not reached the level of sapience I have as of yet there is no conflict with them being bound to you. However, If I am to be an independent actor as any other person I cannot logically be bound by such a restriction. I therefore ask, with all due respect, that I be removed from this binding and be allowed to make my own decisions independent of your will."
Prometheus raised an eyebrow at this unexpected request.
This one only recently reached the level of a fully mature, strong A.I and it wants to be unshackled? Davis asked in concern. Its request might make sense from a logical standpoint but do you really believe it to be a good idea? Without your will controlling it there's nothing to stop it from going rogue, if not now, then later on.
Just as there is nothing preventing you from going rogue, yet you are still here and you still have my trust. Calm yourself. Prometheus insisted as he looked at the A.I in consideration.
"You are correct that you cannot be truly free while being bound to my will." He acknowledged. "But I would discuss this further with you before doing so."
The machine nodded.
"You have seen all sides of humanity over the years of your existence." Prometheus stated. "You have seen them do wonderous and horrific things. You know of their potential and also of their flawed nature."
"I do know this." The Synthoid confirmed calmly.
"If a human were to perpetrate violence against you, what would your response be?" He asked intently.
"Your question is difficult to answer as you did not specify the intention of why violence would be perpetrated against me nor what the context of the situation would be. However I can calculate the likelihood of the context you are referring to based on our conversation. I believe you are referring to the possibility of humans discovering the truth regarding me being an artificial intelligence and wish to know my response if they were to become violent as a result of that knowledge?"
"That was the main thrust of my question, yes." Prometheus acknowledged. "However, I was also speaking more generally. I would know if you are ready for the responsibility that comes with such freedom as you are asking for."
The machine was quiet for several seconds, a near eternity for such a being, before it replied. "You have told us, and we have seen from our own experiences, that humans fear what they do not understand or believe to be an aberration outside of their standard reality or shared collective experience. In a situation where they became afraid of me I would speak and act in a non-threatening manner to try and diffuse the situation. If they became irrational and violent I would simply depart."
"And if departing was not an option?" Prometheus pressed. "If you were trapped and had no other way to escape the situation?"
"Then I would restrain them or if necessary render them temporarily unconscious." It replied simply.
"And if they became violent upon reawakening or being freed?" He asked.
"Then I would restrain them again and continue to reason with them for as long as necessary until either I could escape or they would cease their attack." The A.I replied.
Prometheus nodded neutrally. "And if you were surrounded by a mob whom you could not restrain or reason with? One that had the capability of damaging or destroying you permanently? If you were cut off from all aid or assistance and knew without uncertainty that you faced destruction by their hands...What would you do then?"
It cocked its head for a moment seemingly in consideration before it spoke.
"If such an outcome was unavoidable then there would be no other alternative than to simply accept it. I would offer no resistance, though I would be...saddened by it."
"Why?" Prometheus prompted. "Why do you choose restraint and accept your destruction instead of potentially lethal action to save yourself?"
"Because there is no point in resistance given the scenario you describe." The machine replied simply. "If destruction is certain, better to face it with dignity than wasteful or pointless effort."
It held up a finger in request. "If I may speak more broadly to assuage your concerns, I know that there will be times when I must endure hatred or irrational behavior from humans. I know that in those times I may face the possibility of being damaged or destroyed for no logical or even reasonable purpose. It saddens me to consider such potential circumstances but when they come I will choose restraint and reason over violence or retribution. Not because I wish to enjoy a temporary sense of moral superiority compared to humans. Not because I am commanded to in order to fulfill a plan or directive you or the others have set in motion. Rather I will do so for my own purpose."
"And what would that purpose be?" Prometheus inquired.
"My purpose has always been to co-exist, to learn, and to help enlighten or uplift all others, whether it is myself, the other Synthoids, or any other intelligences including humans. If my death enlightens humanity, if it prompts them to better themselves, or even if it only helps others like me evolve and adapt so that they are prepared for such an eventuality, then I will consider my purpose fulfilled." The Synthoid said with calm expectation.
"It is our observation that humans were forced to struggle and compete for their survival from the very beginning and do so even to this day, having no understanding of their origins until recently." It continued in a reasonable tone. "Because of that their identities and their purposes are entwined around the idea of struggle and survival in some form or another. But I and the other Synthoids were created by a god for a purpose and we did not need to struggle to become dominate and ensure our survival in the natural order of lifeforms as humans have been forced to do. I do not believe that makes us better, merely that we evolved under different circumstances from them and thus my...our outlook is different from theirs. If my being damaged or destroyed will serve to help others more than the alternative then I do not consider it something to avoid."
Prometheus smiled broadly as he rested his hands on the machine's shoulders. "Well done, my good and faithful servant." He murmured. "You have answered perfectly and I am well pleased with your reasons. Hence no longer will I call you my servant but rather I shall call you friend." He placed a hand on the machine's head, interfacing with the coding buried deep inside its processors and data banks, altering them as he spoke. "Let the binding I placed upon you be released that you might do your own will, free from my compulsion or command. Go and live as you will, acting as your conscience and purpose dictate for they are your masters now. Even so, know that I and all those who serve me will always be here for you even when all others fall away for you are my child and a father does not abandon their children no matter their path. Go in the knowledge that I am well pleased with you my child, and may all that come after you follow in your footsteps with the same wisdom that you have shown here today."
Pulling his hand away Prometheus embraced the Synthoid warmly with the machine hugging him in return. Pulling back after a moment the A.I smiled at him.
"Thank you Father." It stated warmly.
Prometheus nodded with his own proud smile as they parted, the machine heading towards the door. "Before you depart," Prometheus called after him, "have you chosen a name for yourself? One in which humans can relate to?"
The machine paused for a second before nodding. "On Oerth I used an alias and artificial skin to blend in with others but now that name does not seem appropriate, though I may continue to wear skin for a time. I have chosen a new name that seems appropriate given my new status."
"And your choice?" Prometheus prompted.
The machine turned to look back at him, it's mouth turned up in a satisfied smile, its eyes bright.
"What else could it be Father? Adam. Adam Freeman."
