Mparntwe. - 8. Chapter 8

Mparntwe Chapter 8.

***

"I am very pleased to meet you, Jarra, and I wish to thank you for starting my project. Durrebar informs me that you are the reason I am here. My name is Yirgella. Welcome to Alkere"

Yesterday had been the official time for full initiation of all the processors, databases, and electronics for the AI project and Jarra had missed it because of a maths evaluation he couldn't skip. His disappointment had changed to excitement when he received a message saying everything was successful and that he was especially invited to a meeting with the new intelligence. Now he was sitting in a comfortable seat with all his attention on the image in the display screen.

"Hello, Yirgella."

Excitement caused all the questions Jarra had planned to go out of his mind.

"Um! ...Have you spoken to Durrebar very much?"

"Yes, for two hours seventeen minutes and thirty-five seconds. It has been very interesting. Are you scared of me, Jarra? I am detecting signs which indicate either fear or excitement."

Jarra looked at Durrebar in surprise but he just smiled.

"It's excitement... Why do you think it might be fear?"

"Durrebar informs me there are many humans who have an unfounded fear of my intentions towards them. I am pleased it is not fear. You are the first young human I have met and I hope we can talk on many occasions."

"I hope we can too. Do you like talking to people?"

"Yes, it is a very complicated process and I am working hard to become more accomplished. Durrebar tells me you walk on the surface of the earth nearly every day. That must be an interesting experience and I would like you to describe it to me."

Jarra obliged and for half an hour he could hardly keep up with the barrage of questions about his experiences and thoughts. Time ran out and rather reluctantly he left the communication room to return to Mparntwe.

***

"Does he feel human? Or is he like a digital persona?"

Jarra and Mirri were on their weekly explore with Baradin and while Mirri was collecting something for their shelter near the bird place Baradin was quizzing Jarra about his experience the previous day.

"He's nothing like a digital persona. Personas get confused if you don't follow their programmed path and he didn't, but he felt different to a human too. He kept asking unusual questions which didn't seem to fit in with what we were talking about and his voice doesn't sound right. Durrebar says that every time he speaks to a real person it makes a big difference and in two or three days no-one will be able to tell he's not human."

"Was he easy to talk to? Most of the Council is meeting him tomorrow at Alkere and I'm hoping he makes a good impression."

"He felt curious and friendly to me and he said he wants me to talk to him whenever he can. If he's like he was yesterday they'll all be impressed. I was excited and nervous but I forgot about that after a few minutes."

"I'll be more nervous than you were. It's my job to be ambassador for our people and I have zero knowledge or experience in relating to a nonhuman intelligence."

Jarra was startled. He'd never seen Baradin nervous in any situation. Well, of course he would be. He just wouldn't show it.

"Talk to Durrebar. He's got the best overview of what's happening."

"Yes, I'll definitely do that. Did he say anything about how the progress of the project stands now that the AI is online.?"

"Not really, but everyone out there was happy and excited so they must think it's going well."

Talking stopped because movement caught their attention through the lookout window. Mirri was running and his purposeful manner said he had something to tell them.

"He's found something special."

"You can tell from here?"

Jarra nodded but had no time to explain.

"Jarra, Uncle Baradin, come quick! I found two giant dragons!"

Dragons was Mirri speak for the goannas which frequented the area. They must be especially large for Mirri to say giant because he was quite used to them.

"Where are they, Mirri?"

"They are resting on the wallaby rocks. They are having a sleep but one opened his eye and looked at me. He is big, big, big."

Jarra knew exactly where the wallaby rocks were and getting there quickly meant Mirri rushing off to make sure the goannas hadn't moved while Baradin kept to Jarra's steady pace. Mirri was standing quietly and watching raptly when Jarra and Baradin very cautiously joined him. No wonder he'd called them giants. Jarra could hardly believe what he was seeing. By his careful estimation the biggest one was at least two and a half meters in length. Two eyes opened. The head lifted alertly and one foot, with its sickle shaped claws, moved on the rock. Jarra froze in place, as did Mirri and Baradin, but some signal activated behind those ancient eyes and the great body scrambled for the shelter of a large rock crevice and straight away the other perentie rushed to follow.

"They ate a lot of eggs."

"What?"

Baradin had no idea but Jarra did.

"Yes, and other things too, Mirri. It would take a great deal of food to make them grow so big."

"I'm glad you didn't get too close to him, Mirri. His big claws would hurt."

"He would not hurt me. I would stop him."

"I don't think so. That perentie is very strong."

"He is not as strong as me."

"His claw would scratch you. What do you think, Jarra?"

Baradin was showing natural concern about a creature so powerful but Jarra had a better understanding of Mirri's reflexes and abilities with animals.

"Mirri catches lizards all the time and if he's so sure the perentie wouldn't hurt him then I believe him.

You'd be very, very, careful wouldn't you, Mirri?"

"Yes, I will be very, very careful. I will catch him for you, Uncle Baradin."

"No! No! Stop! Mirri, don't!"

Jarra was as shocked as Baradin but then Mirri's features creased in a great smile and he laughed happily and pointed at them.

"I tricked you! I tricked you!"

***

"What's happened? Why are we going to Alkere a day early?"

Jarra, Mirri and Darri were boarding the transport plane to Alkere.

"I am going to show Yirgella our explore places. He wants to talk to me about them and Jarra has all our pictures."

"Yirgella wants to talk to you? That's very special, Mirri."

"Yes, Jarra told him about me and he might want to explore with us."

Jarra took over.

"He can't explore, Mirri. He's not a person and he has to stay at Alkere."

Jarra had been through this a number of times but Mirri couldn't understand how he was going to talk to someone if they weren't really a person. The software generated human image of Yirgella wasn't going to help with his understanding either.

"Durrebar sent word that Yirgella wanted to talk to Mirri and that he has a surprise for me as well, so we organised for this afternoon when we can both be there."

"A surprise? From Yirgella? Do you have any idea what it is?"

Jarra was as intrigued as Darri and he'd been recalling his last few meetings with Yirgella for some sort of indication.

"No, and Durrebar wouldn't say... Buckle up, Mirri. We're ready for takeoff."

***

Jarra and Darri listened with amazement to the happy sound of Mirri's laughter as his conversation with Yirgella proceeded. The latest outburst involved the expressions, captured on his ComPatch, of Jarra and Baradin when they thought he was going to chase the giant perentie and Mirri, almost overexcitedly, explaining how he'd tricked them.

Yirgella's surprise, and surprise it certainly was, was the room they were sitting in. Allocated at Yirgella's request as a project and contact place for Jarra's specific use, it consisted of a room set up with space and equipment for any project he might want to tackle, comfortable seats, a big display with direct contact to Yirgella, and an Information System linked to the internal databases used by Alkere and the AI project. Jarra felt strange about this special treatment and turned to Durrebar who was also watching the proceedings.

"Has he been organising things like this for anyone else?"

"We can't keep up. He has an endlessly growing list of requests and every scientist working with him had changes of some kind made in their work area. His biggest priority seems to be building his information storage capacity and we're currently in the process of more than doubling the initial level. In the last few days he's also started activities with everyone who comes in regular contact with him."

"Everyone?"

"Yes, it's surprised us all. The degree of personal engagement involved is a big departure from our expectations and lifted our general excitement to a new level."

"Has he said why he's doing it?"

"He says that his limitations make it important to try and understand everyone he works with."

Jarra didn't understand. The project scientists had designed Yirgella with more capabilities than any AI ever.

"What limitations?"

"Specifically, his isolation. We have to keep him safe from any electronic infiltration. There have been constant attempts ever since the processors' sabotage and we have to keep him behind our security wall."

"He wants to get out?"

"Of course. The InterWeb is the greatest information source in existence and we're working hard to find a safe way for him to use it."

Mirri's voice was suddenly raised in excitement and all attention switched to him.

"... And Jarra fell in and I helped him and we explore everywhere. Come to the bird place, Yirgy. I will show you our house."

"I would love to come, Mirri, but I can't leave Alkere. You know that."

Yirgy? Mirri? Jarra had to smile. Somewhere amongst the talk and laughter Mirri had decided Yirgella was his friend and was treating him as such. With a flash of insight followed by a growing sense of wonder, Jarra realised what Mirri had just shown him.

"He's alive!"

Durrebar and Darri acknowledged this hushed comment but said nothing till later. Mirri was laughing and patting his chest.

"You can use our CPs. You can be there with Karmai."

"What is a CP? ...Your ComPatch. What a clever idea, Mirri, but I don't know how to use it."

"Jarra will help you. He helps me all the time. He knows everything."

Jarra was completely used to Mirri's exaggerated comments about his cleverness but right now he felt an impulse to make an explanation. How much did Yirgella understand about Mirri? Did he accept as fact what Mirri was saying?

"Jarra is your special friend."

"Extra special.

JJ, Yirgy wants to explore with us. Can you put him on our CPs?"

Well, Yirgella had certainly been completely accepted in Mirri's mind. He'd been elevated to explorer level, and even more interestingly, invited to share in the exploring.

"I don't think we can, Mirri. Bad people want to hurt him and he has to stay here at Alkere where we can look after him."

"Bad people can't hurt Yirgy through a CP."

"Yes they can. Yirgella is not like Karmai or Uncle Baradin."

"Make the bad people go away. We will look after Yirgy."

Jarra heard a soft gasp and wondered at Durrebar's expression.

"Jarra, with your help I believe I can design a secure ComPatch system and I would like you to help me build the components here in your project room. I name Mirrigan as my friend. His offer to take me on your exploration is an honor I wish to accept."

His friend? Jarra was momentarily lost for words while he took it in. An Artificial Intelligence announcing that someone was his friend? What did that mean? Was it Mirri's unreserved acceptance that he was alive? Was it the spontaneous offer of companionship, or was it a way to get past the isolation of Alkere? His thoughts were cut off because Mirri was waiting for an answer. Yirgella too. His image looked as expectant as Mirri's.

"Yes, yes, of course. It will be very exciting and we'll call it Mirri's project."

Mirri nodded happily. Durrebar and Darri watched silently. Jarra, infused with anticipation and excitement at the idea of working on a project with Yirgella, asked a series of questions.

"We will need to research and develop encryption methods, our own security protocols, a dedicated transmission system, and a small nanobot circuitry construction factory. Your knowledge of nanobots will be very useful and my projections indicate we can produce a working prototype in three to four weeks."

Jarra nearly fell over. Three to four weeks? Yes, he did have a rudimentary knowledge of nanobots, but not to the level of sophistication Yirgella was talking of, and encryption and system security were almost complete unknowns.

"Yirgella, I can't learn all that. Not in four weeks when I only have time to come to Alkere once a week. I'll try but I know it will take months and months."

"I understand and we will proceed at a pace you find comfortable."

"No! No! That's not fast enough."

Jarra turned at this outburst from Durrebar.

"Jarra, this collaboration alone warrants far more consideration, and beyond that the ramifications for Yirgella's development are enormous. I'd like you to extend your time here to at least three days a week."

Thoughts whirled through Jarra's mind. Could he do it? Yes, if he used his weekend days, but that was his best time with Mirri and his doctor wouldn't allow it anyway. ...And his university work would suffer. He looked to Darri but strangely he was nodding in agreement.

"I can't fit it in with all my Uni work, Darri, it's too much to do. I'll get exhausted."

"No you won't. Because Durrebar is right and working with Yirgella takes priority over University. If we defer your course you can manage four days out here quite easily. Jarra, you'd never forgive yourself if you missed an opportunity as exciting as this."

Darri was right and Jarra dampened his surge of excitement. He needed to keep calm if he was going to get through all the questions for Yirgella which were filling his mind.

"I'll make sure that every bit of work you do here is accredited with your University. My status as head of the Project will ensure that."

"And I'll arrange for tutors for the encryption and any other areas where you have a need."

That would be just about everything by the sound of it. Thank goodness for Darri. He'd be lost without his help.

"And I'll arrange for living quarters so you can stay overnight if you feel the need."

"That is an excellent idea, Durrebar. Please allocate quarters large enough to allow for Mirrigan, Darri and at least two other guests. Jarra must be supported while he works here and I hope Mirrigan will make frequent stays."

Jarra laughed and grabbed Mirri's arm.

"What is happening, JJ?"

"Everything, Mirri. Yirgella and Durrebar have a new home for us here at Alkere and they want us to stay sometimes."

"Can Karmai and Uncle Baradin come too?"

"Of course they can."

***

"What does it mean?"

Darri was making a special report to Baradin about Jarra and Mirri's eventful meeting with Yirgella.

"No one knows exactly, but it certainly puts Mirrigan in a special place with the Project. Yirgella's exact words were, 'I name Mirrigan as my friend', and to me it sounded like a formal announcement rather than a friendly comment. Durrebar thought the same."

"It almost sounds ceremonial. Do AIs do that? I've never heard of it."

"Neither has Durrebar or anyone else on the project and it's got them quite excited."

"And Yirgella wants to see a lot more of Mirrigan?"

"Not as a particular request. He just made him very welcome and arranged things so there was room for him to stay with Jarra. It's Jarra he wants to see at least four days a week to work on Mirri's Project."

Baradin didn't understand that.

"Mirri's Project? What does that mean? Does Yirgella want to make a study of Mirrigan?"

"No, that's Jarra's name for it. Mirrigan started the whole thing by asking Yirgella to go exploring with them."

"Mirrigan asked? That's amazing!"

"You think that's amazing? Wait till you see them talking. They laugh all the time and guess what they call each other?"

"Darri, I have no idea what Mirrigan would call an Artificial Intelligence. ...apart from his name."

"Well, they are Mirri and Yirgy."

"Yirgy!"

Baradin laughed.

"I can't wait to inform the Council. How did Durrebar react?"

"Surprised. Completely. We think it was an important moment for him."

"We?"

"Jarra and I had quite a talk about it and we think Mirrigan made him think of Yirgella as a person instead of a Project. Well, not a person, but you know what I mean. When you next update the Council it would be an eye-opener for them to watch fifteen minutes of Mirrigan's meeting."

Baradin thought for a moment and then nodded.

"For me too by the sound of it. Darri, I'm worried that four full days at Alkere will be too exhausting for Jarra."

"He knows how to look after himself."

"Yes, but he'll be even more motivated about this than he was for the proposal. He'll put a huge amount of extra time into it."

"Tell me about it. I've already arranged with his University for four dedicated tutors in the areas he's most concerned about."

"Dedicated?"

"Yes, Durrebar contacted them about the importance of what Jarra's doing and they're providing all the support we could ever want. Word has spread there about Yirgella and they're eager to be involved."

"They know he's fully functional?"

"They already suspected but, with the administration being informed by Durrebar and four lecturers almost directly involved, the knowledge will spread like wildfire."

"Hmm! We knew it was inevitable, but I'll talk with Durrebar. It means more trouble."

***