Sensory Deprivation (Sequel to Friends in Unlikely Places)

by kittgirl23

New code has intertwined itself within Kitt's core program. And the only one who can help, has also lost his mind. "The lifeline was cut and Kitt's world went dark again. Stand-by mode however did not initiate, he could not rest and he was left in the dark, no sounds, no input, deaf, alone..."

7. New beginnings, old memories

/

/

/run kitt

/executing program k.i.t.t. 1.0

/program booting

/23%

/57%

/98%

/100%

/running k.i.t.t. 1.0

/pause kitt

/program kitt paused

Bonnie watched breathlessly. They had been here for weeks now. The new CPU had been built with expert help from the mechanics at the Foundation. The old core program had been installed and was now running. The going had been slow, revolving around the health of Dr. Marcus. Now both Bonnie and Dr Marcus stared at the screen. They had just initiated the old but new program. Now came the difficult part. Trying to wake the old Kitt up enough to transfer the data. And due to the complexity of the program, they couldn't due it manually. Kitt had to first allow them to due it. He needed to be coherent enough to understand that this had to be done. She needed internal access and Kitt had to allow it. Until then, they would keep the running program paused, to keep the old AI from learning and in an essence becoming a self-aware AI. Bonnie turned to the other CPU box that had been removed from the car. Since the power surge she had been continuously trying to awaken Kitt. She kept a low power feed into the CPU, which she hoped would do at least some good. Then started the similar code into this CPU. Dr. Marcus had been working on Kitt's current CPU and assured her that she would be able to boot at least some of the AI matrix to awareness. But even he didn't know if it would be enough.

/

/

/run kitt

/executing program k.i.t.t. 1.0

/program booting

/23%

/47%

/program aborted

/run software check kitt

/running check 100% complete

/reconfiguring kitt

/run Kitt

/executing program k.i.t.t. 1.0

/14%

/45%

/program integrity holding at 79%

/unable to complete

/abort y/n?

/n

"That's it. That's as far as I can boot the current program. Have you communicated using the p-call program?" The old doctor's eyes were sharp and had a light in them that James hadn't seen in years. "Yes, I used the program when this whole thing started and Kitt had lost the ability to vocalize. Here, let me" Bonnie moved over to the keyboard. First she arranged all the wires between the two CPUs so when she had Kitt's cooperation she would be instantly able to connect the two computers. She heard Michael and Devon come up behind them. She had summoned them here. It seemed right to have Kitt's family here in case…in case anything went wrong. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and began typing:

Bonnie: "p-c.a.l.l. 0/1 'Kitt, respond?"

For a minute nothing happened. Then:

Kitt: "p-c.a.l.l. =1"

Kitt was barely conscience. He could barely think, barely reason. There were errors. Unfixable errors, which had corroded his program from the inside out. But he knew this program, and somehow he knew Bonnie. Using the last of his computing power Kitt focused all his attention on Bonnie.

Bonnie: "p-c.a.l.l. 0/1 'Do you know who I am?"

Kitt: "p-c.a.l.l. =1" –yes, you are Bonnie, I trust you, know you, love you?

Bonnie: "p-c.a.l.l. 0/1 'I need you to allow internal access?"

Kitt: "p-c.a.l.l. =1" –why?

/internal access allowed

Bonnie: "p-c.a.l.l. 0/1 'In your current state, will you be able to link to an outside source?"

Kitt: "p-c.a.l.l. =1" –yes, why?

Bonnie: "p-c.a.l.l. 0/1 'I'm going to link you via port to another CPU. I need you to download ALL data/memory from all memory mods and hard-drives into the other CPU. You will know the folders when you link up. Copy? "

Kitt: "p-c.a.l.l. =1" –why?

Bonnie: "p-c.a.l.l. 0/1 'Kitt?"

Kitt: "p-c.a.l.l. =1"

Bonnie: "p-c.a.l.l. 0/1 'This might be strange for you. Don't be afraid. I'm here, we're all here: Devon, Michael and me. Copy?"

Kitt: "p-c.a.l.l. =1" –Michael?

Bonnie: "end p-c.a.l. "

"You didn't explain to him what you're going to do?" Michael sounded accusing. Bonnie merely smiled sadly at the current CPU casing in front of her. "I think he knows we're trying to help. Besides, I don't think he would understand in his current state." For a long moment no one said anything as Bonnie and Dr. Marcus worked on two separate consoles. Then in perfect unison the two doctors connected the two CPUs and freed both AIs and waited.

Black…blackness…darkness…nothingness… Kitt concentrated. Suddenly he was able to trace code. He tracked the wonderful new information back and forth trying to understand it. It was so simple yet so incredibly complex that he didn't understand it. He didn't know how much time had passed since this strange way of being had started. It hadn't always been like this – had it? He hadn't always been like this – or had he? In his own way Kitt 'touched' the simmering code that he had been tracing. WHITE…LIGHT…POWER…HIMMMMMMM… The code lashed back at him and once again blinded the AI. Kitt had touched something he never thought he could touch – his OWN program.

What had Bonnie asked him to do? Oh yes, download everything…why?…now he understood Bonnie's words that he would know where to download. Linking with the other CPU Kitt found an echo. An echo of the past, of himself. The two AIs scrutinized each other. Suddenly the current Kitt knew what Bonnie was doing or attempting to do. His own core program was unrecoverable, ridden with errors that he could detect, but couldn't fix. This other AI, was HIM, but wasn't. It was complicated, but he understood non the less. He began the transfer of everything. Giga- and terabytes of information flowed between the two computers. The newer CPU was faster, but Kitt could only send so fast. As the information finished it's travel into the new CPU and became available to the "old" Kitt, the current program began to falter.

/system integrity dropping

/warning!

/warning!

/program termination evident

/program kitt terminated

Dr. Marcus bowed his head. "That's it. It's now up to the new Kitt to process the information and see if he can utilize it. It will take some time." The electric wheelchair hummed as Dr Marcus moved away from the table. Bonnie laid her hand on the old CPU casing. "I don't know what to say. It can't be good-bye if he still lives on in there." She said motioning to the newer casing. Michael had been silent the whole time. Now he glanced at his comlink and back at the old CPU casing. "See you in a bit, buddy." He said quietly. With a heavy heart Bonnie disconnected the power from the old CPU casing. They wouldn't know if the information download would work the way they hoped before the new Kitt had a chance to short through the new information. Exhausted., the Flag team headed for bed.