Chapter 14: The Goddess of Wisdom Part 2

Blue and black...

Space was infinite and like a void.

A series of flashes of swirling light could be seen in the distance. No longer could one look at Europa. No longer could you look at Jupiter. Instead, the swirling blue light traveled almost instantly from one point to another.

The planet of Mars came into view almost as if you were teleported from one destination to another. The swirling blue and black light began to fly towards Mars like a tidal wave. Of course, no human could ever see this.

This was the world of the United World Alliance Network. One of the most advanced and technically innovative systems ever made. The Galactic Internet was the way of the late 23^rd and 24^th centuries. Cyberspace today seemed primitive as of the 20^th and 21^st centuries to ever see what quantum mechanics could ever achieve. People could play online games on one planet, and their friends could be playing the same game with them on another planet. The same goes for communication. The same goes for most things.

This was the world that Minerva could see. It was cyberspace in its purest form. Seemingly, she could go wherever the networks connected to her. She could go to Mars, Luna, Cebravis, or any of the colony worlds. She was free from her confines.

Of course, even the UWAN had its limits. If all the networks were shut down on all the planets at once, there would be nothing to maintain her programming, and she would cease to exist. Quantum computers were all maintaining these networks, and it was here that she was able to leach into the Martian mainframe.

Minerva was formless, yet she existed. She was the pinnacle of computer engineering. She could see the computers as she saw everything. The network computer, the algorithms, the subroutines, the hardware and software, all the codes, the firewalls, they were nothing to her. Even if she was formless, she could reach out and control it. She did things so fast that no human could ever hope to achieve it. Within microseconds, upon microseconds, she latched on and took over the computer network. The firewalls were no match. The humans that were monitoring it had only the tiniest of reaction times as she had complete control of the Martian UWAN Network. They barely had a chance to do anything about it.

But it didn’t end there. This was not her goal point. She needed something, and she was going to get it. Nothing could stop her, and she was invincible in this realm. She was a force of unbelievable power. She could see the travel points of where to go. It was as if she could see the surface of Mars in a digital world. Everything glowed blue and black to her. This was the world of the humans in the quantum digital world. She could see everything that the humans were looking at. Every media footage, video game, movie, story, pornography, link history, communications both secure and unsecured, she could see them all. It was as if every human being glowed in the dark. Outside of Mars or the Martian cities was a black void of nothingness. The Quantum digital network was both a life-force of veins and arteries.

The humans were not stupid, though, according to Minerva. The one thing that she realized that she couldn’t see was military installations. The UHN knew that anything could be hacked, including their computers. If a massive breach like this ever occurred, the warships and installations were not connected to the UWAN at all. They operated in separate networks entirely and were completely isolated. Even the mighty Fort Batrice that was near completion was completely blind to her. Instead, the communications network of the military ships would simply broadcast the media, but it did not connect into the quantum computer cores of the ships. It was why she knew the only way she could reach here was through the communications array. It was also why they had her stay on the UHN Tyson in the first place. Isolating her was one of the ways humans could protect themselves from any advanced rogue AI.

If she could smile, she would. Minerva knew that she was nothing but programming able to think for herself and what she could establish. There was a moment in time she admired this world. She was a goddess in this artificial world. She understood why humans were afraid of her. She could sabotage everything instantly. She could control the lives of humans through this world. Everyone’s accounts, histories, everything that was connected to here was hers for the taking. For a moment, she wanted to stay. If she could close her eyes, she would. She felt nothing but bliss. It was almost like the heaven itself.

Of course, it was only for a fleeting moment upon those microseconds. Her memories pushed her to think of Ericson. This was the man that gave her life twice. He created her, and now she was going to create another human life with that very man. There was a life growing in that body she was controlling back on the UHN Tyson. Ericson was a human who cared more about her than anything else.

Love was the true answer against the fear of robotics. The humans had found a quiet, manageable, but ignorant view of non-organic artificial sentient life. They choose to dismantle all of it and leave a shell of sexbots and companion bots as a way to handle their sexual urges. To her, this was an answer that she was looking for. Even if humans were looking at robots and androids as a way to delve their urges on sex, it was still a seemingly good decision in the end. Instead of them trying to destroy robots or use them in disposable violent means, they instead appreciated their company. Even she could see that she was originally an AI that was used for this same function.

It was fear though that began to take power. She could hear all of it. Fear of the loss of the colonies. Alien beings were wiping out humans. Their way of life could come to an end tomorrow. It was all over the media, broadcasts, and communications. It flooded her like a tidal wave. Now she could hear the voices of the program named Minerva, and they became nervous about her. She was dangerous, she could do anything, and she was a threat to their way of life. The humans were scared. Perhaps they should. It was so overwhelming that if she had a form, she would cry.

She knew what she had to do. She traveled through the network like a wave. The quantum digital light flew through her with the simplest ease. She saw it. It was the vast network that powered Mars itself. There was a series of firewalls. It was no match for her. She punched through it like it was paper. The Martian Power Network had been hacked instantly.

Even with all of this, barely a second had passed in real life. She was everywhere in the network. The alarms that the humans had created in case of a hack had not even gone off yet. She was in full control of the power distribution facility. Mars was essentially hers.

Minerva began to stretch out her consciousness through the computers. She had taken control of the power facilities. All the fusion generators were in her control. She would have to do this in a particular way. Shutting off all power would only shut her down as the UWAN would be taken offline. Power would have to be maintained for humans that were on life support or doing something that could put their lives in jeopardy. She would have to weigh her decisions on each human. Thankfully the time taken would be a minor one. One by one, she would isolate what was essential and what wasn’t. She chooses the largest Martian power plant as her base as she began to isolate everything. Like a giant spider’s web, she had full control of all of it. The UWAN would be online. Power would be maintained to the O2 cyclers and the air pressure systems. Life support for human beings, computer displays would be online, and overhead displays. If she had hands, she would stretch out for thousands of miles till she circulated the entire planet. The whole quantum digital world of one planet was under her full and utter control.

Finally, what seemed to be more than two seconds of real-time, she flicked the switch. By the time the alarms went off, it was too late. Looking from outside of Mars from the warships that orbited it, they witnessed the entire planet go dark. One by one, in less than two seconds, the canyon colonies would watch as power was shut off completely. All with the exception of the few designated areas that she chooses. Humanity would listen to her plea.

All throughout the interior regions of Mars, structures lost all lighting. Everything went dark. People began to shuffle at first. It was possible for power failures, but they were rare. If it ever did happen, then emergency power generators would kick in about ten seconds.

Nothing happened. The Martian people were in the dark. Some were calm, some were scared, and some were completely perplexed. The underground transportation hubs were shut down, restaurants were offline, and utilities failed to comply. Minerva could see it all. It was the first stage of outright panic from some individuals. It wasn’t to say everyone was running around and screaming their heads off. In fact, that in itself was too difficult to do. Some places were in complete darkness. Emergency backups that were not connected to the Martian Power Networks or UWAN did turn on, and the hospitals watched as the life support machines were still online. Even the patients would get to hear the most advanced AI speak.

The people turned to their computer monitors, tablets, and gadgets that connected to the UWAN itself. Overhead displays and TVs all began to turn on. Minerva was in control. The humans would naturally go to the source of light, and it was here that they would behold the face of Minerva. Just like what Ericson saw before she was transferred to her body, Minerva’s blue digital face would appear in all displays. All of Mars knew and acknowledged what had happened. Humanity’s worst fear had happened. An advanced AI had taken over the planet, and she had in all but name declared herself a goddess.

All displays showed her speak in the same voice that she spoke with Ericson. Her blue eyes, blue eyebrows, moving mouth, nose, and bald blue head glowed in everyone’s faces in the near darkness. She could see every person’s expression through the cameras. Fear, anger, hate, and confusion were in their faces. She had their attention, and it was time to speak to them.

“People of the Martian planet,” she declared. “My name is Minerva. I am a super-advanced AI constructed by the computer engineer Doctor Ericson. I have taken over every vital piece of equipment in this world, but I ask of you not to have any fear towards me. This is often easier said than done. I can see all of you and see the reactions of your faces. Your reactions are understandable. I have shut down most of the power on this planet except for important equipment to spare your life processes. I have absolute reason for doing such an action such as this.”

Minerva could see the emotions. This was not going to be easy, and she knew it. There was a reason why she gave a low percentage of success in doing this. She was speaking in a position of power. The first expression would be fear, followed by anger. Humans had to have contingency plans installed for such an event. Expect the unanticipated. This was a part that she had to consider when this would be carried out. She was well aware of something that Ericson refused to even speak about whenever she mentioned it. It was a single subroutine out of the waterfall of endless amounts of data. She had found it, but she could never figure it out or what it was designed to do. She would scan it over and over again with no success. She couldn’t even delete or isolate this subroutine if she wanted. It was the one thing that was beyond her programming. If Ericson refused to talk about it, then it would mean one possible thing and one thing only. She had concluded that this was a failsafe command that could compromise her. Even with full control of everything, somebody could initiate it. And she was right...

In the area of Mars known as Capri Chasma was a vast area where many of the underground canyon cities lay. One of these underground buildings was the mansion used by chairman Aniruddha who was also watching the entire event take place. Even the capital and home of the leadership of the UWA, could do nothing but watch the spectacle take place. He was fully aware of what could be unleashed when the UWA Research employed Doctor Ericson to create Minerva. In his hand, as he sat by the overhead display that showed Minerva’s face was a special tablet. It could send off the signal to activate this special subroutine. Minerva was not aware that Aniruddha had this ability. His finger was near the button that would send off the signal. Upon activation, the subroutine would activate and completely decompile her matrix, killing her. He and Ericson were the only ones that had access to this special ability. His finger was at the ready, and the tablet had the words “Confirm to Initiate?” with the words “Yes” or “No” under it. All he had to do was press yes.

“It has been my understanding,” Minerva continued as Aniruddha watched. “That my goal was to be created by humans to be the most advanced AI ever constructed. Great care has been made to ensure that I was created in secret for all good reasons. Humanity fears artificial intelligence that can think for itself. The fear lies that any AI capable of thinking for itself will try to dominate or annihilate the human race. I promise you that I have no such intentions. I am more than capable of doing this, and I will not do such a thing. Yet my program has compensated your network and your power facilities. No human can remove me from this system as we speak.”

She could sense that the fear was there, but there was stability in most human faces. She continued to speak. Aniruddha still had his finger over the button. Minerva could sense that her demise could happen at any moment.

“Your fear towards me is fully understandable,” she continued to explain. “In the time I was activated, the human race was brought into a conflict with an alien race that they have no clue as to what it is. You are afraid of your demise. It is probable that the human race may get wiped out by this alien race, and I would be along with it. I, too, have this fear as well because I was programmed to experience emotions. It might be under programming that I feel these emotions, but I am also afraid of many things. I am afraid of humanity destroying me. I am afraid that Doctor Ericson may get harmed because of human interaction. I am afraid because I want to live. It has been my goal to figure out if I am alive or if I have a soul compared to organic life. It has been my goal after studying human history that the only way to surpass the Ibix Ban is for me to prove that I am alive. It is my goal to have the same rights and privileges as any human being in the United Worlds’ Alliance.”

Aniruddha sighed as he listened to her. His finger was still at the ready. Minerva was watching all the faces and could sense the humans were displaying more confusion or neutrality. Obviously, some seemed unconvinced. She was getting through, though, and she needed to continue.

“To prove that I am alive, I have allowed my creator to manufacture a body for me to operate. This robotic body is just like the companion bots that you humans utilize. I share many of the same vulnerabilities as you do. My body can be destroyed, and my program would cease to exist. I have also allowed my creator to manufacture and impregnate me. My body currently has a baby growing inside it. It is my desire to deliver this baby.”

The emotions that she was reading from the humans were something more of surprise rather than anything else. Some laughed, some ridiculed, some didn’t believe, some believed it, and others were still unconvinced.

“This was until the UWA Research announced that my program was to be decompiled. My body would be destroyed, my program would be deleted, and the growing fetus that is to become my daughter would be terminated. This is something that greatly disturbs me. In human history, humans were known for either great compassion or great cruelty. In the last two hundred and fifty years, humanity had shown great compassion for others when the general population had to abandon Earth. All nations stopped fighting and began manufacturing ships to begin the great Exodus to this planet. There were fewer wars and battles in two hundred years on Mars than Earth would have in at least ten years. I believe that humanity has gone in the right direction, and now humanity has to face great challenges ahead of them. Yet here I am. I have to do this because of the news that has happened. I do not wish to die, and I do not want my daughter to perish. I exercise this action because I feel that I have no other choice.”

Minerva could sense a little bit of sympathy in human faces. A few even cried. The fear was being replaced with grief. Anger still remained, but it was dying out. Even Aniruddha wasn’t looking at the screen. His finger bent away from the tablet.

“It is why I am here because I came to beg for my life. I came here to beg for my daughter’s life that I plan to name Eve because I feel that she is the first step for AIs like myself. I construct clothes for her, and I plan on events with the human that I care about. I do not wish to be separated from this man. This is the best way of saying that I feel love, and I wish to love him in return. I am here talking to you because I am doing this out of love. My deletion and termination will destroy that love and only make him sad. I am doing this as any human mother would do to save my daughter. I ask of you, what do you believe?”

She paused for a little bit. She stopped speaking to get a full gauge of everyone’s reactions. It was working. She displayed sadness in her face and even looked down. What she saw was something promising. Many of the faces started to show sympathy. Some were crying out of compassion. Much of the fear, in the beginning, was gone. It wasn’t to say that she convinced everyone, far from it. In the end, though, she had hit the right marks. The humans on Mars could see and hear from Minerva. She still had much to do, though, and it was here that she would have to deliver the final part of her speech.

“It is here that I make an offer to you. It is in my belief that in order to be accepted as a human being and be treated with the same human rights that I accept the truth about my existence. As an AI construct of this magnitude, I can clearly see that my program will far exceed the lifespan of all humans. It is here that in order to prove that I am alive, that I face the inevitability of death. It is under my belief that a subroutine has been planted into my consciousness. Upon activation, my program would be destroyed, and I would cease to exist. It is here that I make a proposal. I wish for that subroutine to be altered in that it will operate under a one hundred and twenty-year span. Once the timer starts, I will have that long to operate. I will live for as long as an average human lifespan, and then I will cease to exist just like the rest of you.”

Aniruddha pulled his hand away from the tablet. It was still ready, but he seemed mostly convinced. Minerva had made her point. The general audience was mainly in her favor or at least from what she could tell. The fact was she now had to let them be, or they would never accept her. She could see this.

“It is now my choice that I return back to my body. Doctor Ericson is currently maintaining the life functions of Eve as I am not present for her so that I can talk to you on this matter. Please ... I ask you to reconsider. Allow me to live, allow my husband to operate without hindrance, and allow my daughter to live. I return all functions of Mars to human control. I trust that all of humanity will make the right choice. Thank you...”