Chapter 13
Once inside his apartment, Chan was readying for another late session of study. He pulled out the packages for his meal and sat down on the side of his bed with a tiny folding table he had made. As he was opening the packages and then his fake book computer, he asked sub-vocally: “When will I be in a position to help The Brotherhood with color matching for the portals?”
It’s done.
“Did I miss out on it?”
That’s when AI gave him a lesson on field technology. In essence, the AI chip on his watch used a sensing and transmission field to connect with the color changing equipment, which contained electronic eyes of a sort. AI was able to “see” what Chan was doing and constructed an algorithm for the subtle changes he made for the sake of human perception. AI seldom required such artificial vision, but used fields to sense things within range from a multitude of different angles for analysis. It was limited to the field projected by the device in question, but could simply query any device within range for just about anything.
So while Chan went about his normal work with his watch on, AI was able to analyze everything and transmit the results to the researchers at the Brotherhood lab.
As he often did, Chan began thinking out loud to see how AI would respond. He kept an eye on the small display and spoke between bites of food. “So now what? This thing I’m doing now can’t keep going like this forever. I’m not interested in fighting the government, but there’s got to be a way to reach all those other people like me who are ready for something bigger and better. I can’t bear the idea of leaving people to live their lives this way.”
Change jobs.
“Good idea, but without spilling all the beans? Just how much does government know about AI?”
The response was long. In essence, government was so compartmentalized that very few bureaucrats had anything approaching a full picture. This was by necessity, given human nature and how bureaucracy works, so even if the plutocrats at the very top knew, they couldn’t change things too much without risking loss of control. AI suggested that it was likely only a handful of government-sponsored researchers even had a clue. The government hadn’t been using AI and subspace storage very long. So far, nothing in their queries and demands indicated they suspected anyone else was tapping into the technology and medium. AI had done nothing to indicate they were wrong in that assessment.
“But The Brotherhood knows.”
Again, AI’s response was extensive. There were always a few people in government acting as covert friends of The Brotherhood, researchers included. It was a simple matter of scooping up the leaks and riding piggyback on the results without doing anything to hinder the government’s program. Meanwhile, The Brotherhood conducted research into uses the government would not dream of because there was no apparent need. Researchers as a whole tended to hold back some things simply as a way of protecting their positions. The biggest threat from government was not execution, torture or even jail; it was loss of livelihood.
While government had attempted in the past to use chip implants on whole populations, the technology failed too quickly in too many ways compared to the costs. Instead, everyone was issued a nearly indestructible plastic chip with the basic identity code taking the form of microscopic holes punched through in a machine-readable pattern. This was jokingly referred to as the “Mark of the Beast” – it was the only way any person could interact with the economy and all government provisions of life support. They were issued with a kind of string made from the same plastic, but most people eventually traded that for something else. Chan had never bothered.
All financial activity was a matter of credits associated with the code on the plastic tag. The government bureaucracy controlled all employment, all pay for work, and all purchases made from licensed vendors. Everything was licensed and every interaction required that chip, and the government supplied a nearly indestructible, tamper-proof chip reader that connected directly to the government credit controlled system. Only barter could escape the controls and few people had much of value. Besides, the ubiquitous police were always snooping into everything. There was a fictitious job market, but rare was the individual who was offered more than a couple of different jobs. Arguing with the computer’s decision on your employment was utterly pointless.
“So how would I change jobs since all of them are controlled by the government? Officially I’m not qualified for much. What can I do that would put me in a position to help people escape?” Chan was willing and eager, but it seemed hopeless.
IT Inspector.
In the back of his mind, it occurred to him AI could change his qualifications, but only if he actually ordered it to do so. Chan realized he knew more about AI than probably anyone alive on the planet at that moment, but it hardly qualified him to diagnose hardware and software problems in the older computers, much less AI devices. “Is AI going to provide all the training I’ll need? That would take awhile with my current schedule.”
As needed. AI can cover most of it in context.
“Are we going to fake the credentials? I was told the tests for that are pretty rigorous.” Sometimes it was like pulling teeth, but AI didn’t do planning, only analysis from existing data.
Impersonation.
“Okay, so I’m going to go around impersonating an IT Inspector. I can see how you could keep me from getting caught, since you control scheduling and watch my back to prevent surprises. But how would I get paid?” Chan was half-grinning.
It was another long response. AI first informed Chan that the entire credit system was fake. The propaganda held that the government was tracking economic output based on some arbitrary unit of value, and proudly trumpeted how there was no inflation. So much appeared to be true. However, very early in the game the government officials realized this was actually impossible to do on a global scale. The banking moguls who were now major figures in government agreed it was possible simply to pretend there was such a system. That would make it easier for the plutocrats to soak up as much resources as they liked while keeping everyone enslaved and utterly ignorant.
So in fact, the alleged system of credits was merely the means to limit people and keep them from claiming their just share of economic productivity. Instead, the government simply tracked the goods and services directly, a much simpler bookkeeping system that depended on expected supply and demand by quantity. It also made it easier for corrupt officials to scrape off their share of whatever they liked, so long as they didn’t overdo it. It was a rather hidden communism of sorts, but using technology capable of far better bookkeeping.
As it was, almost everything Chan needed was supplied directly through The Brotherhood. AI could continue the charade of credits issued and used from any arbitrary employment by any agency or a fake one. No one would notice until they began making direct queries, and AI never offered them information without request. Given the speed of bureaucratic enforcement, Chan could know long before anyone could actually do anything to him.
Chan made a few more queries into the probabilities, including AI erasing him from the system. He realized that for once, he was in the driver’s seat. The interaction with AI was about to change entirely, because he was going to start giving orders and he already knew AI would comply, despite using personal pronouns for himself.
“AI, is there sufficient sampling to construct an algorithm for volunteering pertinent information to my requests?”
Confirmed.
“Do so. What would I do as an IT Inspector that would bring freedom of information to those ready to use it?”
AI reminded him of the paste-on chip Chan had applied to his watch. Similar chips could be fabricated to be invisible when applied to standard older hardware. It would have the effect of upgrading the system to AI compatibility and linking it to subspace networking.
Chan’s heart began racing at the thought of it. He needed to think very clearly, so he paused. “Construct an algorithm for optimal exposure of individua
ls to AI. Limit access as needed to prevent unnecessary risk to human safety. Include a probable release point from restrictions by individual user where possible. Advise me of probable weaknesses in this request.”
There was some back and forth as the request was adjusted and refined a bit, but the intent didn’t change. A significant item was Chan requesting optimal shielding from queries by government agents through AI. He knew outright denial of information was not possible, but there were subtle factors that would prevent such questions arising in the first place.
“Now, construct a list of places I should visit and a schedule to plant those enhancement stickers on existing computer hardware. Prepare running options for adjustments pursuant to unexpected events within probability. Advise me.”
Confirmed.
That was quick. Chan was getting better at this. “Transmit request for production of enhancement stickers.” He remembered hearing a rumor about chameleon military uniforms. “Advise me: Is it possible to create a fake IT Inspector uniform that can change colors and appearance as needed to prevent destabilizing encounters?”
Done. Fabric exists and order placed.
One final thing: “AI, advise me of a more secure facility in current locale for use as an office, to conceal the portal and for storage of mission-related materials.”
Additional equipment required.
This meant another visit to the life support facility. Chandler found himself in the oddest position of feeling very much like the servant of the entity to which he issued commands.