CHAPTER SEVEN
TRANSCRIPT FROM PUBLIC LECTURE, GIVEN BY TERRANCE "TERRY" VANCE " 1939-1940 : ROBOTICS AND AI BEGINS" BY TERRY VANCE, T.A. SECOND PART
"Professor Phineas Horton was a genius in several fields. He created synthetic life, which he called "The Horton Cell." These were synthetic replicas of human cells using plastic and carbon polymers, they duplicate the structures found in organic human cells. These cells can be grown in a culture, and are compatible with humans, and could theoretically create replacements for any organ needed for transplant."
"Even in small clusters, they are capable of generating and storing a remarkable amount of power. Horton kept the exact method of making them a secret, and other than ME only about 5 other people have figured out how he did it as far as I can tell. The first time I managed it, the Petri dish exploded and I was electrocuted," the boy chuckled. "So NO, I won't be revealing how I did it. I won't be the one to blame for anyone ELSE blowing themselves up."
"Horton didn't build his android. He GREW it from a clump of Horton cells, that mimicked the growth of a human fetus, and in weeks it grew to physical maturity. Expanding on the work of the Williams brothers and Professor Zoglowski, he programed the android's synthetic brain with basic cognitive skills, language, and reasoning. The general theory has been that he duplicated the mind of a human volunteer, possibly a child. From my reading of Horton's papers, I believe he created an gestalt consciousness, using the brain patterns of multiple subjects, picking and choosing the best, most functional parts of multiple minds."
"Horton revealed the Torch's existence to the public at a press conference in November 1939, at which he demonstrated how the Torch would burst into flame if he introduced a small amount of oxygen into the transparent container in which he was confined. The news media proclaimed the Torch to be a potential menace, and so after a meeting with the Scientists Guild and a presidential order, Horton buried the android in his supposedly airtight tube within cement until such time as he could find a way either to prevent the android from bursting into flame or learn how to control its flame. Horton did solve the issue but was unable to implement it before bad luck intervened."
"There was a slow leak in the tube, however, and eventually enough oxygen entered so that the android's flame ignited explosively, permitting him to escape. Wreaking havoc in innocent exploration of his environment, the android, dubbed the Human Torch, realized the panic he was causing and, unable to control his flaming power, doused his flame in a swimming pool. I believe it was after this that Horton added the stabilizing agent I rediscovered."
"Ma'am, I promise, I will do a question and answer period after the lecture portion. No, I appreciate your concerns. The test subject on stage will NOT explode into flames as soon as I activate it. No, I can't tell you the stabilizing agent that I devised IN DETAIL, that's highly valuable information. That's going to pay for my education for the rest of my life."
"ANYWAY… if I may CONTINUE?"
*sigh* "Yes, the older gentleman next to the attractive woman with the questions? Why did I make a monkey instead of a human? Yes, I'm getting to that…" *muttering, semi-audible "..sus Cr.. things I put up wi…"
"I went with a monkey for simple economics. The process to cultivate Horton cells is expensive unless you can afford to buy in bulk and work on assembly line scale. I went with the tufted capuchin as a model, a species known for intelligence and loyalty to their troop and to their alpha leader. They have been trained to perform household tasks for people with disabilities and are most commonly known as the monkeys used by itinerant "organ grinders" in old movies."
"I used the brain patterns of several monkey and ape species, picking and choosing to form a mind that would be trainable to act as a therapy animal and helper primate, with the added bonus that Horton cell androids don't age. One drawback of using animals such as guide dogs is that they age and have to be replaced. One of my helper monkeys could be passed down for generations."
"Now as I drain the tank…. Like so… and detach the neural input linkages… thusly, the little fellow I've nicknamed "Darwin" will start to stir. And you will notice that he isn't exploding into flame. Score one for Team Vance… OK, come out now, let me give you a hand"
(The monkey, approximately 12 inches tall with a tail long as its body, takes Vance's hand, and swings itself onto Vance's shoulder, shaking liquid off of it's fur. It quickly scans the auditorium, and waves "hello" to the audience.
"Now using neural linkages, I programmed Darwin with the brain patterns of several apes. A circus chimp that had been trained extensively in acrobatics. A capuchin that had been a helper monkey for a quadriplegic for six years. From a world famous gorilla, I copied several decades of sign language experience. I believe that I copied all of the strong points of each test subject without copying any of the drawbacks."
(Darwin signs "Who has a cookie?") "I have one, if you do two tricks or the people." (Darwin sticks out his tongue and blows a raspberry.)
"Darwin, hop down. Now do your Tai Chi." (Darwin goes through a complex series of motions, resembling a martial artist in slow motion.) "OK, I admit, I copied that part from MY brain, I wanted to be able to show off. YES, THE WOMAN IN THE BACK AGAIN? WHAT IS IT?"
(Audio unclear.)
"Yes, I mixed the mental patterns of eight different primates, actually as well as some physical skills from my own mind, and as a favor to my little sister, I duplicated her ability at things such as jump rope and double dutch. No, I don't think that would be a problem, obviously, or I wouldn't have DONE it." (Vance takes a cookie from his shirt pocket, breaks it in half and gives Darwin half which he gobbles down.)
"Using the royalties from my new book , 1939-1940 : ROBOTICS AND AI BEGINS, I hope to raise enough funds to start production on Darwin units, to assist the disabled and the aged, without any of the time required to train live animals, or any of the frailties of living creatures."
(Darwin is seemingly distracted by a flying insect, swats at it with both hands, and then inhales sharply, and exhales a seven to eight foot long jet of bluish flame. Vance apparently does not notice this, and a male in the back row begins laughing.)
"I think the safety and economy of the Darwin series of androids… All right, what's so funny?" (Darwin is apparently still chasing the flying insect, leaps upon the equipment strewn table , looks at one of the larger pieces of electrical equipment, and exhales a huge jet of flame. The table catches fire, while the monkey appears to be watching something small fly off to the side.)
"What the…! OH FOR… DARWIN! BAD MONKEY! BAD MONKEY! Now STOP BREATHING FIRE FOR DADDY… Um… lecture over, go away quickly, BUY MY BOOK, BYE!" (Terry Vance runs after the tiny ape as the auditorium sprinklers go off, extinguishing the fire on stage and dousing the audience. The laughter in the back becomes more raucous, as Vance's shouting fades, as does the occasional monkey shriek and roar of flames.)
END OF TRANSCRIPT.
"OH GODS, THAT WAS HILARIOUS," Harvey shouted over the sound of the fire alarms that had just begun to sound. "This kid is perfect for our little club. The way his luck is going today, he might have himself an "origin story" any minute now."
Thursday pulled the older man by his elbow out of the side exit and outside of the building. "He's bright enough. And lunatic enough to combine several kinds of madness into the same experiment. We need to recruit him before someone ELSE does, that's for sure."
Thursday's artificial hearing was still tracking the sounds of boy scientist/android fire breathing monkey as they chased each other spreading chaos in their wake across the campus grounds of Empire State University. "So should we help him, follow him to see if he can handle it, or get the hell out of here and recruit him later if he survives?"
Harvey shook the sprinkler water out of his beard. "Follow him, help him if he needs it, and go from there. Something tells me he's going to get expelled for at LEAST a semester before this day is over. All that Jerry will have to do then is offer him a scholarship to go to another college or maybe an internship with one of our dummy companies."
A muffled explosion from what Thursday Rubenstein could only assume was a burning car came from the other side of the building, and the boyish cursing of a young mad scientist having his first experiment go horribly wrong. "And to think," she said. "At the University, they called him mad…"