The Unincorporated Woman (19 page)

“As you know, we are a part of a human’s life practically from the moment of conception. This gives us an enormous amount of influence over their behavior.”

“And vice versa,” inferred Sandra.

“Excuse me?” scoffed Lucinda.

“It explains why your children act so much like humans.”

Dante had never quite looked at the relationship from that angle before. He and the rest of the Avatar Council were beginning to consider the implications when Sandra spoke again. “So far as I can tell, you’ve abused your position to insert your own brainwashing and cover your collective asses. And in doing so may have irreparably harmed the very species you profess to care so much about. Have you ever stopped to wonder why they’d follow like a pack of mindless sheep someone as reprehensible as Hektor Sambianco?”

“We were protecting ourselves, Sandra,” argued Dante. “If humanity ever found out that virtual life existed in a constant virtual world, they would—” He paused as he considered the phrase. “—‘freak out.’ It is not inconceivable that they would attempt to destroy us. And it’s not as if we set out to harm them. The generations we raised were the happiest and best adjusted that humanity has ever had.” This brought nods of approval from the rest of the Council as well as from the underlings standing along the walls.

“Which is why the culmination of your centuries of work is a humanity that is busy destroying itself in the greatest war in history?”

“Hey,” snapped Marcus, “that’s what humans do.”

“Fair enough,” admitted Sandra, “but if avatars are so peaceful, mind explaining to me why Maria’s son is in an avatar army?”

With the exception of Sebastian, all the council members gasped in surprise. Though the prospect of killing the human had begun to wane, Sandra’s recent revelation had forced the head avatar to reconsider the earlier motion.

“Because,” offered Sebastian, “avatarity is split like the human race. We thought we were immune to the temptations and weaknesses of humanity, and because of it, most of our fellow avatars live under a dictatorship.”

Sandra nodded her understanding. “And how is that war going?”

“About as well as yours.”

“Sorry about that.” Sandra paused before returning to her point. “So your indoctrination is so good that humans just stop thinking about you?”

Gwendolyn fielded this one. “Yes, and we have billions of examples to prove it. Not to mention an intimate knowledge of every human being ever born—well, everyone other than you, that is. It’s not difficult to tailor a strategy of indoctrination if done from a very early age. You see, it’s not that humans
can’t
think about us—we don’t alter their brains—it’s just that they don’t.”

Sandra thought about it for a moment. “So you’re a self-evolved race of artificial intelligences—”

“No more artificial than you, meatbag,” countered Marcus.

“Poor use of language,” Sandra admitted, inclining her head toward Marcus. “
Informational
intelligences.” Sandra paused and looked around to see if there were any objections. There were none. “You’ve lived in hiding among the human race for centuries, but have fallen to the same stupid maladies we have, proving that you are indeed our children. Furthermore, you’re convinced that if humanity ever finds out, it will make war on—” She hesitated. “—avatarity?”

She saw affirmative nods to her descriptive.

“I believe your assessment is correct,” Sandra said flatly.

“Please,” said Sebastian after a moment of uncomfortable silence, “continue.”

“If humanity found out who and where you are and—heaven help you—what you’ve been doing to each generation of their children, they would indeed ‘freak out,’ as that gentleman so eloquently stated. For the good of both our peoples, this must remain a secret.”

“Do you not advocate your own death, then?” asked Marcus.

“Not at all.”

“Really?” said Sebastian.

“I want what’s best for the sake of all humanity’s children. I also think it’s what Justin would’ve wanted—whether he knew about you or not.” She paused and looked around the table. “I have a lot more questions, but they can wait to see if you’re going to kill me or not. Before you take your vote, is there anything I can answer for you?”

“Yeah, actually,” said Marcus with incredulity, “how the hell are you standing there? You’re a human hooked up to a VR interface supposedly confined to a single, library-simulated reality. You should not have been able to wander around the Neuro with impunity.”

“And yet here I am,” replied Sandra with a faint smile.

“Yes,” agreed Sebastian, “here you are, indeed. Please explain.”

“It occurred to me that you must have evolved from legacy systems and programs dating all the way back to my time. And since you appeared so comfortable in the VR environment, which is a type of programming I’m well familiar with, then it was also possible I’d have some measure of access into your world. After doing some basic research, I learned that your entire reality is in fact generated using evolved programs and data dumps from earlier legacy VR programs. And the thing is, there were always little back doors put into those programs to allow for access across the domains. That way a programmer could quickly get from one reality to another, should any problems arise.”

Dante’s face was ashen. “So you found a back door … into our world?”

“Yes. Even though your programs have evolved and grown far more complex over the centuries, they still have at their very core the original back doors.”

Sandra showed the group her “book” and then handed it to Sebastian, who passed it on to Dante and on down the line.

“In the library, the back door took the form of a book.”

“You were in a library with
millions
of books,” said Dante. “How did you know which one to look for?”

“The nature of any back door is that they be nearby and always discernible … provided, of course, you know what to look for. I did, so all I had to do was scan my immediate environment. Once I started looking, it became readily apparent which book it was. It looked purple to me, bright purple. When I found it, getting out was easy.”

“And the school … how did you ever manage that?” asked Gwendolyn.

“Ah, that,” said Sandra, looking faintly embarrassed. “Well, you must understand that everyone had fled, so I knew you were scared of me. Truth is, I thought about just getting out also.”

“You could’ve easily done that,” agreed Sebastian, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “So why didn’t you?”

“Two reasons, really. One, I didn’t know what that—” She pointed to the book still being examined by the Council. “—would do to your world. It might’ve terminated the library sequence, or it might’ve terminated much more. I had no way of being sure.”

“And the second reason?” asked Gwendolyn.

“Maria seemed truly scared. Even if I got out, I figured fear like that would follow me. I thought it was best to follow it instead. If I could talk to you, maybe you wouldn’t be so afraid, and besides…” She paused. “It was a whole new world to explore. Why do you think I froze myself in the first place?”

“You still haven’t said why you went to the school,” Gwendolyn gently reminded her.

“I told the backdoor device to find an information kiosk or tech-support module so I could locate, well, you. But apparently those don’t exist anymore, so it found the closest analog.”

“A school,” Sebastian said, chuckling.

“A school,” confirmed Sandra. “I think I was as surprised as that poor teacher. Once I got a copy of the map, I was able to update the backdoor program and come straight here.”

“A moment, please,” said Sebastian.

The council conferred and was unanimous in their agreement not kill the intruder—she was clearly too valuable an asset. And because she had been forthright and honest during the entire proceedings—they had been evaluating her biometric responses—they decided to trust her. They did not know, however, what to do with her. At Dante’s suggestion, they decided to put it to Sandra directly.

“I intend to finish Justin’s job.” There was steel in her voice. “I’m going to win this war and keep the people he adopted as his own, free from the incorporationists. And it looks like in order to do that, I’m going to have to keep your people free and help you win your war as well.”

“And how does meat plan on defeating qbits?” asked Marcus.

A cruel half smile formed at the corners of her lips. “Well, it occurs to me that your enemy rules a huge domain and that that domain probably has quite a few hidden back doors as well.” Sandra smiled as she watched the Council’s confusion quickly turn to understanding.

*   *   *

Having waived the motion to eliminate Sandra O’Toole, the Avatar Council decided to form an alliance with her, the first such formal agreement ever between the two races. Their new partner, however, did have one minor request prior to embarking.

*   *   *

The children’s section of the Pasadena Public Library’s central branch was perfectly designed for its purpose. The avatar youngsters were walking around the colorful room, picking up toys, and flipping through the books. Sandra called them to order and bade them sit on the large pillows and beanbags that formed a semicircle around the chair she was seated in. She also saw that the room contained a fair number of adult avatars who stayed back, pressed against the walls and peering somewhat anxiously through the stacks. She held eye contact for a moment with Gwendolyn, who looked nothing like the powerful avatar she’d only just met but rather like a mother hoping that this commingling of the races was a good idea.

“Hello, children,” began Sandra.

“Hello, Miss Sandra,” the seven children chorused back.

“I’m going to read you a story my older brother always insisted my father read him at night.” She paused momentarily as the strength of that memory overtook her. “You would have liked my father, children. He was stern but fair. And he loved the story I’m about to read you because he felt it offered an invaluable lesson. I will now honor his memory by reading it to you.”

Sandra flipped open to the first page. Before she could she could begin reading, Gwendolyn’s son raised his hand.

“Yes, Edwin.”

“What was the lesson learned, Miss Sandra?”

“Don’t you want to wait until I finish the story?”

Edwin shook his head vigorously.

Sandra laughed. “Very well, Edwin. It’s this: with great power comes great responsibility.” And with that, Sandra O’Toole continued to read the comic book as its images were projected into the air around her. The children stared wide-eyed at the wonderful two-dimensional flat panels and listened intently to the story unfold of teenager bitten by a spider who was then infused with amazing powers.

*   *   *

Sandra emerged from the VR rig with a concerned and somewhat envious-looking Marilynn Nitelowsen looking over her.

“Was it successful?”

“I suppose that depends on how you define successful.”

“Did you learn everything you need in order to help Admiral Black?”

Sandra smiled. “And then some.”

7 No One Ever Said It Would Be Easy

The “inauguration” of the so-called Unincorporated Woman shows just how pathetic and hopeless the criminals who call themselves the Outer Alliance have become. The welcome response of the UHF Assembly legally incorporating her and confiscating her shares until a hearing after the war is successfully concluded is both warranted and entirely just. The only good thing this news organization can say is that at least this symbolic figurehead will not be able to cause us the irreparable harm the thankfully deceased Justin Cord did. If she manages not to fall flat on her face during her inaugural speech, it will be the most the rebels can expect, but far more than they deserve.

NNN Editorial

Michael Veritas tried as hard as he could, but like an irrepressible sneeze, the howl of laughter had to come out. It was highly unprofessional and certainly not what decorum would dictate, but then again, he’d never heard so bawdy a joke from so esteemed an office holder. He regained his composure and filed the moment away; it certainly wasn’t something he could share with his readers, but he was glad the woman had had the confidence and, more important, chutzpah to share it with him.

“Madam President,” he began.

“Not yet, Mr. Veritas,” Sandra interrupted. “Congress hasn’t voted me in yet, and even assuming it does, I haven’t sworn the oath.”

“They’ll vote within the hour, Madam … Ms. O’Toole, and swear you in soon thereafter.”

“You’re pretty confident, Mr. Veritas.”

“Why shouldn’t I be?”

“Well, for one thing, the Committee for the Conduct of the War has called a special session and compelled Admiral Black to present herself.”

“Politics as usual. Typical last-minute deal making, I’m sure.”

“As am I. Yet best not count the chickens before they’re hatched.”

He nodded in agreement. “Good point. In the meantime, mind if we start?”

“Not at all.”

He pulled a small device from his satchel and set it free. It took a position in the air just above and behind him.

“If you wouldn’t mind, Ms. O’Toole, please tell my readers what your expectations were upon revival.”

“Well, first of all, factoring in advances in technology and such, I figured it would be at least a century until anyone bothered bringing me out. I also realized that technological growth might be retarded, given the Grand Collapse, so I dialed in another couple centuries at the outside. Turns out my conservative estimate was pretty close. Second of all, I thought I’d be awakened in a nice, quiet facility and that any civilization with the technology and inclination to wake me would be a peaceful one. But most of all, I thought I’d have years to integrate and ultimately end up as some sort of glorified consultant for a museum.” Then her expression grew somber. “And finally I was hoping that I’d be able to see Justin, but I knew the odds of that were pretty slim.”