Chapter 85: ~Hello World!~ (1/2)
“
Who needs just Zero and One if all the possible states between them are also available?
”
-The days of quantum computing
***Sol, Mars***
***Gideon***
I follow Zibil to the speaker's platform where he gestures for me to wait. Then he climbs the five stairs to the centre and turns to the audience. “I hereby declare the meeting as opened. Today's agenda is to deal with a complaint about our techno-mage elder, Sanguin Folstrom. The governor Gideon Alvar filed a complaint about incompetence in office, failed responsibilities and violation laws. Gideon, if you would please explain your reasons for this complaint and why you want Sanguin removed from his office.”
So I climb the stairs and take Zibil's place as the speaker. In absence of a better idea I smile at audience to break the ice. All I get is Melan smacking her forehead, so I can guess what happened. My expression slipped again.
I clear my throat and start speaking, slowly retelling Ed's slightly edited version of the events. There is no need to hold back about me being manufactured inside a genetic laboratory. Sadina's memories are enough to reveal that little secret of mine. Though the rest of the story paints me in a saintly light and forgets to mention my less noble deeds.
During all the time Sanguin keeps holding this smug expression, which makes me feel a little uneasy. Does he have some form of leverage on me? Ed's people checked Sadina's memories again and again. They should have found something, but Sanguin was really paranoid about contact with Sadina. She never sent him any reports. All he did was broadcast coded messages over certain news channels to give commands. Something that's very easy to do when you have full access to the mainframe.
At first I wasn't all too keen about revealing my past, but Zibil won us over. He wants to bet on the common sense of the elders and use Sadina and Sanguin as scapegoats. I may be the product of mad genetic research and it is laid down in the law that such research and all its products have to be destroyed. But in a certain way all that research is already destroyed and Ed's superior already used Sadina's memories to find her hideouts and sent clean-up crews.
I for my part am a highly decorated member of society. To the public I have lived a formidable life and gave our people the IM-lines. I served in the SDF and protected Sol as the captain of a ship and the governor of Aether. I have a family, a wife and children. All that has to count for something at least.
My vest is as clean as it can be and if the elders would condemn my existence for that, then Zibil is sure that he would be able to topple the system. Ed at least is certain that the faceless wouldn't move even one finger against me.
Once I am done telling the slightly edited version of events I nod at Zibil and leave the platform. I notice several different expressions among the elders, but if they are more positive or negative towards me I can't tell.
When I reach my companions Melan hugs me. “The start was a little bumpy, but you made good on it in the end.”
Finally Zibil starts speaking. “Unfortunately, as my lawyers inform me we can't confirm the entirety of this story because of Sanguin's immunity. It's his mind where we can find concrete proof for all of the events. I am sure that all of you see this complaint of Gideon's as a valid step from his point of view. We would betray our oath to society if we ignore the situation. This has to be investigated and the easiest way would be for Sanguin to allow us to have a look at his memories.”
“I do not.” Sanguin calls out. “In my brain are secrets of state most other elders aren't even allowed to know. I am the one who is tasked with the administration of Sol's mainframe! From ancient times onwards this responsibility and its secrets was only transferred from one techno-mage elder to the next. Nobody can have a look at my memories. Nobody!”
Zibil continues with a bored voice. “Then I am afraid that we have no choice. Is there anybody against a direct comparison of skill?”
Zibil's question is answered with deadly silence. Not even Sanguin tries to intervene. Zibil already told us as much. First of all there would have to be a significant majority to stop the comparison of skill. Secondly it would look very bad for Sainguin if he alone refuses the comparison and not even his closest cronies would dare to risk their skins for a lost vote.
Sanguin seems to be unconcerned nonetheless and that makes me a little nervous. Something makes him sure that he can win a comparison of skill with me. Does he intend to win the comparison and flee afterwards? Or is he sure that he can't be replaced?
Zibil gestures for me and Sanguin to come to the speaker's platform. “Then let's get it over with.” Another flick of his hand and two sprites enter the amphitheatre. They are of the same model as Exo before I made the adjustments.
I raise an eyebrow while Sanguin is on his way towards us. “We take the test right here?”
“Yes, right here. In front of everyone inside your VRs. The sprites will measure your psychological qualifications, knowledge and then you will compare your abilities.”
“How will we compare our abilities?” I ask.
“We will connect to the mainframe and prove that we can use it for the greater good. That we have control over it. The mainframe isn't some kind of sprite or a computer you can program. It is the entirety of the entire quantum network. Even if you have administrator rights it takes an unbelievable amount of skill to get something done. That's why the techno-mage elders don't change very often. Almost all fail the ultimate test of qualification simply because they can't deal with the mainframe.” Sanguin throws a dirty grin at me and in that moment I know why he is so sure of himself.
Connecting to the mainframe must be like using a completely different operating system. It takes time and effort to get familiar with the network. And probably it also takes a teacher who shows the ropes. There is no way that I can perform on an equal level of skill as Sanguin who used the mainframe for who knows how long.
But I get no chance to think about it as the sprites take their positions in front of us. Sanguin reaches out to touch his sprite and I do the same. One moment later I appear inside my VR with the sprite in front of me. “Hello. My name is Exa-98. I'll ask you a few questions.”
I pull a grimace and look the sprite over. “You guys aren't very creative when it comes to names, aren't you? Let me guess, Exa is the assembling line in which your quantum brain was manufactured and 98 is the batch number of the tank in which it was grown?”
When the sprite doesn't answer immediately I know that I hit the mark.
***Sol, Mars***
***Cyla***
I watch Gideon closing his eyes to take the theoretical test. Since this may take a little time I decide to find out a few things about the family. “How is Sadina doing?”
Melan's eyes wander to the ground. “I am not sure. She woke up and thought she was rescued almost immediately. I didn't expect that it would be that hard for me. For years I harboured those feelings and thoughts that I would give her a proper beating if she ever again shows her face to me. And there she is and doesn't even know what she did. Or didn't do. It's hard to see her as the one who left the house before the explosion.”
I bite my lip. “You didn't tell her?”
“I cried and she didn't understand why. To send Rhiannon would have been the better choice.” Melan sighs. “Of course I told her what happened. Just to prepare her for when the memories return. She shouldn't face that out of nothing. She was silent for a long time afterwards.”
“I guess it's hard to wake up and learn that you lost thirty years and the people whom you knew... maybe they aren't dead, but have changed to the point of not recognizing you any more.” I ponder. “Will she start seeing other people?”
“Hedeon and Rhiannon will start visiting her in turn and she asked how Ed is doing.” Melan looks up. “I am not sure if I should allow Ed to visit her.”
Ow! It must hurt to be talked about as if you weren't present. My eyes wander to Ed, but he acts as if there is no problem. Though it's hard to tell for sure with that mask he is always wearing.
“And you told her about Gideon and...” My voice trails off.
“Not in that much detail. She knows that Rhiannon and her husband had two kids and that her other self had a son. She took it a little better than I expected though I guess she was already too shocked from everything before that.” Melan shrugs.
“I guess it will take some time.” I answer and Melan nods. “Probably a lot of time and tears too.”
That's the moment when Sanguin and Gideon take their hands off of the sprites. Sanguin's sprite floats a little higher and announces. “Suitable mentality and a perfect score.”
Gideon's sprite copies the actions of the first one. “Suitable mentality and a perfect score.”
Sanguin's grin widens and he gestures like a king on his throne for the sprites to leave. “Then I guess that means we have to get to the final test to end this. Mainframe! Administrator Sanguin requests full access.”
He closes his eyes and the light dims. “Display the mainframe.” Then a huge projection of the solar system appears above us with countless tiny dots. They concentrate in areas with high population density and I realize that it displays the whole of Sol. There are even lines which indicate connections to outside of Sol.
Sanguin nods to himself, doing something inside his VR. “Entertainment and news programs. Restart!” Then whole sections of the network disconnect and go dark. A moment later they reconnect again. I gasp and some of the elders start murmuring. Did he just switch off a huge part of the network just to make a statement?
Sanguin grins and picks his ears without a care in the world. “Mainframe! New administration account for governor Gideon Alvar. He has full root rights and access.” Then he turns to Gideon. “Let's see how you manage to deal with the network.”
Gideon squints his eyes at Sanguin, but then he closes his eyes to connect to the mainframe. We wait for a while but nothing happens. A deadly silence stretches through the hall. And then I see a pearl of sweat forming on Gideon's forehead.
***Sol, Mars***
***Gideon***
This sucks! One moment it feels like I am falling and then I am in a million different places at once! The mainframe doesn't have a centralized command structure. Everything is equal... and not. I see probabilities and chaos. Is that what it looks like when you connect unfiltered to a quantum core? Normally the VR protects you from being affected by the illogical results of quantum computation.
In a normal system you reach the result of an equation step by step, going mechanically through each part of the process even if it you already know the result of a small auxiliary equation.
Not so in quantum computing. There each result is just a probability of many possible results and you reach the solution sometimes by leaping over entire steps based on probability.
It's not logical and it hurts my understanding of a computer system! If I could barf inside my VR I would to it. That's why Sanguin was so certain of himself. How is he dealing with it?
Once more I try to concentrate on one point in a sea of possibilities, but the solutions flash past me before I can even consciously register them.
It's the whole of Sol's computational power. The mainframe. I must try to relax and step back from the problem. Even at my fastest I can't keep up with the whole network, so I close my eyes to stop seeing the raw chaos of uncertainties. Sanguin granted me root access. That means I can access all functions. All I have to do is to create my own interface. My own blue room with four walls, a ceiling and most importantly a floor.
No million places at once. Just my VR room like I always use it. I take a deep breath and slowly open one eye. Blue wall! “Ha!”