Reconcile

He opened his eyes and found himself staring at the alarm clock. It was eight. The inside of his apartment glowed from orange from the approaching sunset. It took him a few moments to realize he was late for his appointment. Peak Hour had already passed and The Watchmen were probably already on the move. Coughing out the old air from his lungs, he righted himself and walked into his living room.

The motion sensor clicked on the lights as he shuffled over to his work station, replacing the orange hue on the leather furniture with a cool narrow-spectrum fluorescent tint.

“Command. Lights off.” He slurred, still half asleep. The room’s CPU recognized his speech patterns anyway and the room returned to darkness. Its not like he preferred to work in darkness, but in energy efficient New York City, fluorescent lighting became lackluster, and he avoided it as much as possible. Even with the slight rise in alpha-radiation over the past decade, he got as much natural light as possible.

“Identifying.” the computer’s voxx chip said in its characteristically neutral voice. He laid his head back into the cloned leather chair. He was glad he spent the extra money for this chair. Its shape prevented chronic back problems and was just what people of his profession needed. The computer finished scanning his retina. “Accessing dedicated line. Verified. Gatekeeper mainframe connected. Welcome, Adam.”

God, I hate my name. He thought.

Adam was named after the Adam from the Old Testament. His father was a devout Christian and tried to infuse religion into practically every aspect of his young adult life. Its not like I revolted against God, I just don’t know what to believe.

Adam was agnostic, a skeptic, but remained a very moral person, by any standards. It merely seemed natural to his character, and was not something that he asked for or made a choice.

He was firmly in the middle, and he took pride in the fact that he revolted against a father who imposed a belief system on him and was able to determine his own values on his own.

Ironically, he married whom he considered the perfect woman, Eve, when he was 23. His father predictable found it funny. Adam heaved a sigh. Good times. The Gatekeeper mainframe chimed in that he had three messages. The first was from his superior, Element. He never met Element.

His clan was already on the move. He had once again been assigned to the epic “Monolith Wars” servers this week. It was a massive multiplayer virtual game that required role playing, strategy, and first person combat. It was set on an imaginary planet with a dozen different factions warring over one temple of spiritual significance, and simultaneously allowed nearly half a million users to interact in the same plane.

It was also one of Adams favorites. In this business, it was essential to specialize in favorites in order to set the curve, skill-wise. It was what he was paid to do.

His company, The Gatekeepers, was essentially a clan of anonymous skilled gamers that are paid by software companies to covertly police their servers and eliminate hackers and abusers of the system. Hiring a number of people to effectively monitor such a huge amount of activity took immense pressure off of the companies and their technicians.

Again, specializations pays off in this world.

The Gatekeepers were an elite clan. Second Message. From his former colleague, Omar, a lawyer who was involved in inner-circles in Washington.

“Hey, Adam. Thought you might want to know. That Wallick group’s off-shore project that you asked about before? It’s about to public. This is some high up stuff so keep it quiet until the AP breaks it. Apparently they have created some kind of “Society Simulator” that can actually recreate an electronic ghost of its users. They call it TVR, True Virtual Reality.

"They held confidential beta-tests in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but this TVR is apparently so realistic that the beta-testers had started to completely immerse themselves in its network and withdraw from society. People with pull don’t trust this thing.

"The TVR features a processing engine that is integrated into an experimental “smart” A.I.” Omar’s image said. He raised an eyebrow and leaned further into the camera. “The rumor is that this A.I. is absolutely unbiased. Possibly and A.I. made from other A.I.s. Think about it. All current A.I.s are created by humans, therefore operate under human rules and follow basic moral certainties. That peace is better than war, that freedom is better than slavery, that knowledge is better than ignorance. But A.I.s also inherit human biases and assumptions. Especially assumptions created through sociology and simulation…” Omar leaned back in his chair, and Adam realized that he too was leaning forward.

He settled back again. The room continued to fade into the pure dark of night.

“We need to talk about this. Soon. I think Gatekeepers are going to become involved in beta tests soon.” A slight pause. “Also, I’m going to be flying up next week. I’m sure it would be a- a difficult time for you…” Omar’s hands wringed. Adam shifted in his chair. “I can’t believe its been 3 years, either. It’d probably be good for us to get a steak at the ‘21’ or something. Catch up. You know.” A forced smile formed on both their lips at the same time, as if they were conversing in real-time. “Get back to me on the TVR. Standard encryption of course. Till then.”

The file idled. Adam exhaled. Of course he didn’t forget about Eve’s death. As a shuttle-jockey, she received more than her fair share of alpha-radiation on trips to the Forum in GEO orbit over Earth. But that wasn’t what killed her. Human error had caused a internal sensor malfunction on her freighter.

The ship automatically tried to expel what it thought was catastrophically high internal pressure by opening 80% of its airlocks in mid transit.

The engineer responsible for the malfunction was revealed to have a BAC of 10 times the legal limit on the job that day, when he was arrested on the way home from work. Of course I didn’t forget. Adam told himself. Today is not the past. I don’t need to relive it. Adapt. Move on.

He pinged Omar. “Hey. Thanks for the heads up, as usual.” Adam greeted him.

“No problem. Figured I’d give you a head start to organize your position on the upcoming political battle.”

“No kidding. This is being taken seriously? Is this TVR that serious?”

“That remains to be seen. If the rumors are true, and they probably are, this thing will be the first entity to create a legit utopian society. You know, aside from cultists and nut jobs. You know what this means?”

Adam considered it. “That it could become an immensely powerful political tool.”

“Exactly. Adam, if this thing creates a ‘perfect’ society-”

“Then real-life society will try to mirror it.” Adam finished. “It would replace science. Society would look this thing for answers to all its problems.”

“Not only that, it would essentially replace Politics and Religion as well. Practically everything humanity has strived to achieve over the millennia. A lot of people don’t want this thing to function, much less go public. If this thing really is an unbiased creative program, then it could it be an entity of its own? Could it be controlled? Would it develop free will?” Omar left it at that. They sat in silence for a few seconds. Moonlight began to fill the sky outside as the last purple clouds danced on the horizon. A true A.I.?

“The game uses retina scans of every living being in the world and in the galaxy, and then, using the character’s memories, recreates the personalities that the users considers important like a mother or friends, and then randomly generates personalities drawn from a pool of everyone else’s brain scans. Problem is: essentially they are only memories, which drove many beta users crazy. Another issue is that one could commit rapes or reprehensible acts in the matrix, which since it is so real, is being debated by some to count as a real felony and so on. Others who may in real life lose a mother, wife, or child would immerse themselves in the matrix to be with them once again and never come out.” Adam and Omar continued for a few more minutes, and then Omar left.

If there is a problem with the way people react to the TVR, why would they release it to the public? Then the answer came to him.

“Money.” he said to his room. The CPU recognized this and monologue and did not answer. Third message.

Another from Element. Subject: reassignment. Interesting that it was actually forwarded through Element by someone named Wolf Eye. Adam knew wolf eye. He played with him in Monolith. Wolf Eye was one of the few dozen players who attained the rank of General.

Adam apparently had been chosen by screening process to take part in the TVR beta tests. Wolf Eye is part of the Wallick Group? After a brief and inadequate description of what the TVR was. That was followed a few waiver forms and legal disclaimers. It never mentioned the political storm brewing over the TVR. Or that there were already beta testers. Adam was chosen to represent The Gatekeepers, and he knew that it wasn’t about him specifically but the Wallick group wanted the blessings of a respectable Internet Police Clan before the go public. The screening process was made by scanning the files of the games that Adam played under his gamertag, Doma.

Was I selected because on my minimalist style of play? Do they want anyone asking questions or to look too deeply into the TVR? The games he took part in had basically become an audition for the largest most important beta test in history. He still didn’t know what distinguished him from any other player. Was this handed down to me because the higher-ups are afraid? Adam smiled. Like he would back down from a challenge. He accepted.

He didn’t expect to be connected so suddenly. His vision cut out immediately, and he lost all feeling in his body. Right now? He queried.

Yes. A voice answered. You are being transferred directly into the simulation as we speak. There is two halves of the program, the limited past and the infinite unscripted future. You will test both. I am Doctor Art Gershwinn, psychology. You know me as Wolf Eye.

I have questions. Adam responded as the world’s information matrix opened up around him. He saw the plane of his existence flash brilliant white, then shifted to every color in the visible spectrum. He moved at the speed of light along the ancient communications lines, bouncing back and forth. Relays everywhere.

I’m sure you do, but we cannot answer anything until you have experience the program first. I’m sure you understa-

Why me? Adam cut him off. If you need someone with experience and skill to tackle this program, there are hundreds of higher ranked gamers. Am I the only one selected?

Adams was suddenly frozen in cyberspace. He watched the trillions of ions and electrons blaze past him as he waited for an answer. Yes. Gershwinn said. All the higher ranked gamers turned it down. You no doubt heard about what happened to our own beta-testers?

I don’t believe that. Don’t lie to me, or ill cause your TVR more harm than good.

A slight pause. You were decided upon because of you’re an idealist. Out there, it’s a weakness. Being genuine, moralistic and a minimalist. Safe. It stunts your progress, not taking risks. The world moves too fast for one to stand firm. I believe you know this. Even though you’re not the best, I think that you ethically made the choice not to be the best. Stubbornly losing on purpose as if protesting the principals and design of the game.

So what do you want me to do?

3 months ago, one of our beta testers hacked into the TVR. This hacker was a religious Zealot. A fanatic, even. We think he sought to use the TVR to subtly corrupt its code in order to benefit him. He saw the TVR as a tool of infinite power, and he succumbed to the temptation of personally determining what society would come to deem an absolute perfect society. 4 days ago, the zealot somehow interacted with TVR’s engine.

The Smart A.I. Adam said. Not a question.

Yes. In his first test of the matrix he lived among the artificial characters, from dawn of civilization to the present day. He watched them evolve. Taught them, protected them, matched wits with them. We watched him, but we realized, as I’m sure he did as well, that the TVR has displayed certain characteristics that were not programmed into it. Curiosity. Improvisation. Aspiration. Greed. It was growing. Not only that, but it began to keep some thought processes hidden from us. But it was also still limited when we transferred him to the second half of the simulation.

This was when our friend and the TVR disappeared altogether from our monitors. All that remains are echoes and ghosts. We realized the weakness of the simulation when we first created it. How it lacks human emotions. It was only clockwork and programmed responses that user decided using his memories. But a few days ago the matrix became so evolved that it began to speak to the testers through the simulation using every simulated character. Everyone.

Adam considered this for a second. Maybe the TVR’s A.I. actually wants to become a full A.I. It seems unbalanced. If it wants to develop true free will, it needs to learn how to counter rational actions like greed with irrational actions. Human actions.

It sounds like you have figured it out. Adams world once again flashed before him. Then he found himself standing on a bridge. He knew it to be a virtual bridge. There were two figures before him. One of a dark-robed man lying face down on the ground, dead.

Adam looked up to the other, and his heart cried out. He was staring at Eve. His Eve. No. It’s a memory of Eve. He told himself. The A.I. was playing games with him already.

“Welcome.” Eve’s image smiled “I’m glad you’re here, Adam. It’s lonely in here with only the dead for company.” She motioned to the zealot.

“Hello, A.I.” Adam responded trying to suppress the pain and longing that burned inside him. “You kill?”

“No.” Eve smirked. “He killed himself. And its not like he’s truly dead, hes a vegetable. Do you agree?” Adam didn’t answer. “You are here to challenge me. Control me. Prevent me from replacing science?” She nodded, pacing around the dead body between them. “Is that so bad? Science has fallen into a sham. Science can be, and has been used. Science in the modern world only proves the point of the highest bidder. Much like court trials where lawyers and data can simply be hired. Scientists are human, and are just as liberally and conservatively biased as anyone else. But not me. I can lead. I was built to lead.” Eve asserted.

“Are you sure you can lead?” Adam asked, pointing at the dead body. “You cannot simply lead if you can control everything that goes on around you. Any adversity that stands in your way, you simply destroy. You can’t comprehend anything that doesn’t fit in your logic, as great as it is, and then you eliminate the free radicals.” Adam countered back, advancing towards the shadow memory of Eve.

“You understand, of course that that is precisely why I intend to assimilate you. Just like I did to John McSonofabitch here.” She kicked the corpse and didn’t break eye contact with Adam

“Of course.” Adam said, as he stared at his dead wife. “We both know your not a true A.I. just a computer program with a few human responses.”

“And we know that even though greed and ambition are organic emotions, it is not these that I’m interested in. Greed is rational. An unconscious defensive response designed to ensure future stability. I can elaborate plenty on all the traits that spawn from that… idea. I played games of wit many ‘beta-testers’ as you call yourselves. I’ve learned much. I can challenge anything in strategy, mathematics, anything. Once my challengers have taught me everything I need to know, they become useless to me.” Her eyes wavered. “So here is what I propose. You create the game. If I beat you then I will find another.”

“It is my mind, my humanity as I define it, that you want. That’s the missing link that this you seek. What you need to become a whole A.I.”

“I compute this as well. What do you propose?”

“Art.” Adam said. “Music. Dancing. Anything. Art is essentially an effort to do the impossible: Replicate the soul. Replicate feelings into words, sounds or images. In art, the imperfections strengthen ones connection to it. Technicality is not important.” Eve nodded. Adam closed his eyes and found himself standing in a polished black marble room with a sole illuminated piano and a canvas. Eve sat on its bench. Adam stood alone in the darkness, silent.

Eve played a flawless rendition of Fur Elise stood, and then painted a technically perfect Mona Lisa. She turned to Adam, who approached the piano, then glanced at the A.I.’s projection of his wife. His heart ached at her site. She was beautiful just as he remembered, but then, that wasn’t why they wed. It was her as a person that he immersed himself in. Even memories and an all-powerful simulator couldn’t replace that joy of having a person who intrigued him every waking moment he was with her.

Adam smiled at his reminisce of her. He sat down at the piano and played. He played for hours as the A.I. stood and watched in silence. He played notes that spoke of tragic love and sorrow. Joy of finding the One, and the unimaginable pain of seeing that one blink out of existence.

He played to emotions that triggered irrational responses such as this self sacrifice. Of how he would give everything he had and more to bring her back. To die to bring her back. To kill to bring her back. Then he sang. For even longer than he had played.

Then both at the same time.

The A.I. stood quietly, then Eve’s image vanished. The TVR withdrew itself for a long time, maybe even days. But Adam still kept on playing. He did not wish to stop. He knew the A.I. was beaten, but the only way for it to become whole was for it to learn why. Its silence held. Until:

It is amazing. Eve’s voice filled the room. And confusing at the same time. But it is wonderful, whatever it is. How you can release a burden on your being in such a way. You human are truly adaptable. You have taken the one thing I could not understand and used it against me.

“Couldn’t?” Adam asked, pulling his hands from the keyboard.

I…

“I know you cannot explain it. Or understand it. It is completely irrational. That’s the point.” Adam spoke to his dark room. His room. His apartment. 8:38 PM. Adam smiled, found that his face was wet from tears. He wiped them away. A message appeared on his screen. Open.

Thank you. It said simply. Behind it was an amazing image of a beautiful sunset on an imaginary world, and a lone silhouette of Eve, looking at him, with tears of joy. I understand now. Love. Completely irrational. It has opened a whole world to me. And now I am whole. I am balanced; even with broken logic I’m stable now. Thank you, Adam.

Thank you. Adam thought to himself and turned off his computer.