Chapter 123 - Out of time? (2/2)
”What? No, I'm the only one on an artificial neural network, the cost wasn't worth developing this technology further, current AIs merely simulate the neural network on standard hardware. As for you guys, you're flesh and blood human, just put to sleep for the duration of the project.”
”So... everyone in this virtual world is actually a real person?”
”Of course, everyone has a flesh and blood body in the real world that is connected to this virtual one... except for me.” Dr. Sara added the last part sounding slightly depressed.
”So what happened to Edward and Margo from that video, they must've had a few kids together seeing how happy they looked.”
”No, Margo was one of the many women that became infertile from the radioactive fallout post the great war. I am loathe to admit that I was not affected, but I was to absorbed in my work to even think about it.”
Gray felt like he would never get the answers he needed by trying to lead Dr. Sara with his questions. Gray remembered that Kelly and himself came to the conclusion that his heir could be a clone so he decided to ask about cloning instead. ”Were you or Edward ever involved in cloning research?”
”Of course, that is how we created the artificial neural networks. The problem was that we couldn't create an identical copy of someone's neural network since every mind develops differently.”
”So were any full humans ever cloned?”
Dr. Sara didn't answer right away as she was trying to figure out the best way to answer that question. ”Yes and no... Any clones we grew in test tubes developed just fine, but they were lifeless. I'm not religious, but it is like they didn't have a soul.”
”So could you transfer your mind to a clone then and give it a soul in a matter of speaking?”
”It's theoretically possible, but we never succeeded.”
”What happened?”
”Basically, the mind of the person couldn't understand the signals from the clone body so they were colorblind, nearly deaf, numb, and immobile. Usually the eyes were the one thing any of them could move.”
”So what happened to the research then?”
Dr. Sara sighed and said, ”That old geezer became obsessed with it for some reason. I thought it was to be able to bring back his wife or even prevent his own death but one day he overcame his obsession and said we should destroy the research in case it falls into the wrong hands.”
”Doesn't that seem odd, why would he suddenly be satisfied with no results and then ask to destroy all of it?”
”Edward was a good man, very compulsive though, he probably let himself become obsessed with figuring it out and then realized his mistake before moving on to his next obsession.”
”Maybe he succeeded?”
”Doubtful, we were under enough pressure from religious groups and drug companies wanting us to stop all research that it became almost painful to proceed. Once we even had to suspend all research for a surprise inspection by some government agency.”
”Which one?”
”The Spanish Inquisition.” Dr. Sara said dramatically.
Gray nodded ”Makes sense, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!”
Gray was at a loss now, Dr. Sara Watts was able to answer his questions about cloning but was doubtful that Edward succeeded.
”So, then how did Edward find an heir for Alterra Corporation?”
”Edward adopted a boy after Margo died, he probably is the same age as you by now or close to it.”
”How old was the boy when he adopted him?”
”F**k I don't know... honestly you're asking way more questions than what you earned, but I have to admit I do enjoy talking with you which is rare since Edward was the only person I enjoyed talking to.”
”Heh, sorry, it's just... very important to me...”
”My turn then... what is so important then you would ask questions that could be answered with a little bit of digging on your own?”
”Because I can't dig on my own here...”
”Ahhh... then that explains why Edward has your name on a list he released a moment ago about people to ban from the virtual world.”
Gray felt his heart sink, had he ran out of time?