Genkora
Frog blast the vent core!
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This is the 9th chapter of a novel I'm writing. I am posting this one because it is interesting and I want criticism on more solid stuff in the novel.
Essentially, the book is about the conflict between artificial intelligence, artificial life, and humans. There was an incident (which I will not reveal) which caused humans to lose pretty much everything (Including Earth) and go into hiding for about 2500 years. When they reemerge, technology is rebuilt over the next 500 years, although advanced by our standards, is extremely primitive compared to Van's time. I haven't decided if Earth will ever be rediscovered. It is told from four perspectives and two time frames which alternate with each chapter, Van's (Human), Marla's (AL), Janus' (AI), and MK-4 (AI). This chapter is from Van's. The two time frames are about 3000 years apart, Van is from the early time frame, The AIs and Marla are in both.
Van walked into his apartment and went to his computer. He attached the hard drive to an external input and a folder popped into his desktop labeled A.L..
“A.L.?” Van thought.
He opened the folder and inside were all sorts of calculations and documents. Van opened the first document
December 1, 2358. I have made a breakthrough in my research. I have built the first autonomous, artificial, microscopic life form. It is cell like in shape and form. It is almost exactly as I had hoped to achieve. The life form can fuel itself in the same way that the cells of a complex organism. The cell was built with the same organs as a common cell, ribosome's, mitochondria, etc. This will revolutionize the way we look at life! The cell is built out of proteins and irons. The cell can rebuild broken iron strains with any iron provided for it. Theoretically, a complex life form made from the artificial cells should be able to fully regenerate as long as it consumed iron and protein rich foods.
This all seemed very confusing and a little scary to Van. He opened another document.
October 27, 2360. I have finaly managed to build a working brain cell. It is protein and iron based like the other cells I have made in my lab, but this one I have used nano machines to enhance it. With just twelve of these cells connected in a network, they have exceeded the mental capacity of most small rodents. It my belief that these cells will eventually replace A.I.s once I have made a more complex structure. Unfortunatly the brain cells die very quickly due to the extreme amounts of energy the nano machines require, an amount I have failed to provide in controlled amounts. The longest one has lived was three days.
He closed the document and opened another.
February 5, 2361. My most recent and complex cell has gone through mitosis. With this breakthough, I believe I can begin trying to make complex lifeforms.
Van closed that one and opened another, what he was looking for he didn’t want to admit.
November 16, 2361. I have finaly created a stable complex lifeform. This is the the 351st specimen, and it is the first one to breathe. I am excited to see how far it goes.
The document continued further down the page.
February 3, 2362. It has been almost a year since the first mitosis, and now I have a mouse that has grown into an adult. It has amazing regenerative qualities, if I remove one of it’s limbs, they grow back. I can even remove entire organs, which also grow back in a matter of days. A problem I have observed is that the mouse has no instincts. I have to force feed it or it won’t eat. It does not walk around, and it has absolutely no desire to survive. It does not react when presented to something such as a cat, I believe the problem lies within the brain cells. The capacity and potential of the brain is there, but it’s just open space. I need to do more research and find out how I can program things like instincts into the cells.
Van was horrified. But he could not stop reading. He was afraid that Selvin had gone too far, and he had no idea where Selvin had done all this work.
September 13, 2363. I have researched and further developed nano technology further than I belive mankind has ever taken it. Normal nano machines only operate for at maximum, two days before they need to recharge. Until now, I have not been able to find a suitable way to recharge the nano machines I wanted to use in the brain cells. However, I have invented a little mechanism on the nano machines that can take carbohydrates and protiens and convert them into a fuel that hey can use. I have tested them in some new brain cells, and they are surviving just fine. The waste from the nano machines is discharged with the host’s excretory system. The battery levels are maintained depending on the amount of food that is consumed by the host.
June 2, 2364. I believe I have figured out how I can implant instincts into the brain. Theoretically, I could put any instincts into any host brain I wanted. These blank brains are like slates, slates that I can carve into. Anything I want.
June 3, 2364. Success! My latest specimens have begun eating on their own. The mice behave like mice, the fish behave like fish. When presented to predatory specimens, they react in fear and try to run away. Some of the specimen have even tried mating, but it seems that everything I have made thus far is sterile. I need to look further into this problem.
August 11, 2364. I have identified and fixed the problem of why my specimens are sterile. It was an error in the amount of chromosomes. More of a careless error. I used the same cell structure for all the species, with slight adjustments to DNA. I neglected to change the reproductive organs of the cells. I believe I am ready to try and make a human being. Nay, an A.L.
Van stopped and just kept looking at that last line. He could not take his eyes away. Could Selvin really have created a human being? From manufactured cells and nano machines? He couldn’t stop himself, he had to see, so he continued through the documents.
November 17, 2364. I have done it! I have created the first artificial human being! I have named her Marla, after my deceased sister. End entry.
November 17, 2364. That was about 17 years ago. This Marla, did she survive? Were there any problems with the artificial cells? If not, then does that mean that she is still in Selvin’s lab, wherever that was? Or is she somewhere out there, living? Van’s mind reeled, he didn’t know what to think. This, this wasn’t right, there was something wrong about this. Van then noticed a last document. It was labeled, “For Van”
He just looked at the file. He didn’t want to open it. He wanted to stop right now, he didn’t want become part of this. All this research, all this experimentation, it was against so many laws, Selvin was in danger of losing his life if this leaked out. Did Van want to be part of this? Was there any choice? Had Selvin already done something to drag him into it?
He opened the file.
Dear Van
I don’t have much time left on this world. I assume you have already looked through my private work. I know you are confused right now, and I’m not asking you to continue it. In fact, I ask that you delete everything on this hard drive. I could not bring myself to do it. Van, you are easily the brightest student I have ever had under my wing. You were like a son to me, and I know you will take the world of computers farther than anyone else has. I have done something horrible, I knew the moment Marla opened her eyes for the first time, that I was wrong, that it was not my place. I had, for a short time, become god. If god really does exist out there, may he have mercy on me. I have already destroyed all my equipment, I have discarded all my spare cells, and I euthanized all my specimens. That is, except for Marla. Humans are long lived Van, and I couldn’t remove her from existance. I just couldn’t. I ask you, please, go to my home, she is there. Take care of her. She is a sweet girl.
Best of luck and yours truly,
Victor Selvin
At his home. Yeah, Van knew where that was. He knew, and Selvin wanted him to, to, oh man. This isn’t real. It can’t be. Except it is. Marla. She would be seventeen or eighteen now. And she is at his home. Waiting. For what, he didn’t know. Who was Selvin to her? Did he run tests? Was he a scientist or a father to her? Van didn’t know what to expect. He also wasn’t sure about Selvin’s situation right now. Was he dying? Was he dead? He had givin Van the hard drive not two hours ago.
“A.L.?” Van thought.
He opened the folder and inside were all sorts of calculations and documents. Van opened the first document
December 1, 2358. I have made a breakthrough in my research. I have built the first autonomous, artificial, microscopic life form. It is cell like in shape and form. It is almost exactly as I had hoped to achieve. The life form can fuel itself in the same way that the cells of a complex organism. The cell was built with the same organs as a common cell, ribosome's, mitochondria, etc. This will revolutionize the way we look at life! The cell is built out of proteins and irons. The cell can rebuild broken iron strains with any iron provided for it. Theoretically, a complex life form made from the artificial cells should be able to fully regenerate as long as it consumed iron and protein rich foods.
This all seemed very confusing and a little scary to Van. He opened another document.
October 27, 2360. I have finaly managed to build a working brain cell. It is protein and iron based like the other cells I have made in my lab, but this one I have used nano machines to enhance it. With just twelve of these cells connected in a network, they have exceeded the mental capacity of most small rodents. It my belief that these cells will eventually replace A.I.s once I have made a more complex structure. Unfortunatly the brain cells die very quickly due to the extreme amounts of energy the nano machines require, an amount I have failed to provide in controlled amounts. The longest one has lived was three days.
He closed the document and opened another.
February 5, 2361. My most recent and complex cell has gone through mitosis. With this breakthough, I believe I can begin trying to make complex lifeforms.
Van closed that one and opened another, what he was looking for he didn’t want to admit.
November 16, 2361. I have finaly created a stable complex lifeform. This is the the 351st specimen, and it is the first one to breathe. I am excited to see how far it goes.
The document continued further down the page.
February 3, 2362. It has been almost a year since the first mitosis, and now I have a mouse that has grown into an adult. It has amazing regenerative qualities, if I remove one of it’s limbs, they grow back. I can even remove entire organs, which also grow back in a matter of days. A problem I have observed is that the mouse has no instincts. I have to force feed it or it won’t eat. It does not walk around, and it has absolutely no desire to survive. It does not react when presented to something such as a cat, I believe the problem lies within the brain cells. The capacity and potential of the brain is there, but it’s just open space. I need to do more research and find out how I can program things like instincts into the cells.
Van was horrified. But he could not stop reading. He was afraid that Selvin had gone too far, and he had no idea where Selvin had done all this work.
September 13, 2363. I have researched and further developed nano technology further than I belive mankind has ever taken it. Normal nano machines only operate for at maximum, two days before they need to recharge. Until now, I have not been able to find a suitable way to recharge the nano machines I wanted to use in the brain cells. However, I have invented a little mechanism on the nano machines that can take carbohydrates and protiens and convert them into a fuel that hey can use. I have tested them in some new brain cells, and they are surviving just fine. The waste from the nano machines is discharged with the host’s excretory system. The battery levels are maintained depending on the amount of food that is consumed by the host.
June 2, 2364. I believe I have figured out how I can implant instincts into the brain. Theoretically, I could put any instincts into any host brain I wanted. These blank brains are like slates, slates that I can carve into. Anything I want.
June 3, 2364. Success! My latest specimens have begun eating on their own. The mice behave like mice, the fish behave like fish. When presented to predatory specimens, they react in fear and try to run away. Some of the specimen have even tried mating, but it seems that everything I have made thus far is sterile. I need to look further into this problem.
August 11, 2364. I have identified and fixed the problem of why my specimens are sterile. It was an error in the amount of chromosomes. More of a careless error. I used the same cell structure for all the species, with slight adjustments to DNA. I neglected to change the reproductive organs of the cells. I believe I am ready to try and make a human being. Nay, an A.L.
Van stopped and just kept looking at that last line. He could not take his eyes away. Could Selvin really have created a human being? From manufactured cells and nano machines? He couldn’t stop himself, he had to see, so he continued through the documents.
November 17, 2364. I have done it! I have created the first artificial human being! I have named her Marla, after my deceased sister. End entry.
November 17, 2364. That was about 17 years ago. This Marla, did she survive? Were there any problems with the artificial cells? If not, then does that mean that she is still in Selvin’s lab, wherever that was? Or is she somewhere out there, living? Van’s mind reeled, he didn’t know what to think. This, this wasn’t right, there was something wrong about this. Van then noticed a last document. It was labeled, “For Van”
He just looked at the file. He didn’t want to open it. He wanted to stop right now, he didn’t want become part of this. All this research, all this experimentation, it was against so many laws, Selvin was in danger of losing his life if this leaked out. Did Van want to be part of this? Was there any choice? Had Selvin already done something to drag him into it?
He opened the file.
Dear Van
I don’t have much time left on this world. I assume you have already looked through my private work. I know you are confused right now, and I’m not asking you to continue it. In fact, I ask that you delete everything on this hard drive. I could not bring myself to do it. Van, you are easily the brightest student I have ever had under my wing. You were like a son to me, and I know you will take the world of computers farther than anyone else has. I have done something horrible, I knew the moment Marla opened her eyes for the first time, that I was wrong, that it was not my place. I had, for a short time, become god. If god really does exist out there, may he have mercy on me. I have already destroyed all my equipment, I have discarded all my spare cells, and I euthanized all my specimens. That is, except for Marla. Humans are long lived Van, and I couldn’t remove her from existance. I just couldn’t. I ask you, please, go to my home, she is there. Take care of her. She is a sweet girl.
Best of luck and yours truly,
Victor Selvin
At his home. Yeah, Van knew where that was. He knew, and Selvin wanted him to, to, oh man. This isn’t real. It can’t be. Except it is. Marla. She would be seventeen or eighteen now. And she is at his home. Waiting. For what, he didn’t know. Who was Selvin to her? Did he run tests? Was he a scientist or a father to her? Van didn’t know what to expect. He also wasn’t sure about Selvin’s situation right now. Was he dying? Was he dead? He had givin Van the hard drive not two hours ago.
Essentially, the book is about the conflict between artificial intelligence, artificial life, and humans. There was an incident (which I will not reveal) which caused humans to lose pretty much everything (Including Earth) and go into hiding for about 2500 years. When they reemerge, technology is rebuilt over the next 500 years, although advanced by our standards, is extremely primitive compared to Van's time. I haven't decided if Earth will ever be rediscovered. It is told from four perspectives and two time frames which alternate with each chapter, Van's (Human), Marla's (AL), Janus' (AI), and MK-4 (AI). This chapter is from Van's. The two time frames are about 3000 years apart, Van is from the early time frame, The AIs and Marla are in both.
