“Most important, the fate of the Citadel and Guardian. This place is the last functioning artifact of the First Age. It contains the knowledge and ability to bring the World out of the darkness. We owe it to our culture to try to preserve it, not destroy it.”
“But you said Guardian’s gone balmy on us, didn’t you? What good is a machine that’s crazy, that’s only wantin’ to play games with itself? I say we get outta here!” Stoor slapped his sidearm, nestled in the holster at his leg.
“I am surprised to hear you speak like that,” said Kartaphilos. “You above all the others should be aware of the value of this place.”
Stoor paused, knowing what the cyborg said was true. “All right, so sayin’ you got a point . . .what do you propose we do? Can you get us out of here whenever you want to?”
Kartaphilos shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“What?” said Varian. “Why not?”
The cyborg stood and walked across the room. “While I am intimately familiar with the Citadel, I don’t know if my . . . abilities would be enough to gain escape through simple force. Remember this is a well-constructed defensive organism, one which was strong enough to withstand the onslaught of the Riken. . . .”
“Then what do you propose?” said Tessa.
“I think we would fare far better if we relied on cunning and our powers of reasoning rather than force.”
“To do that, you need a plan,” said Stoor. “Do you have one?”
“Not yet, no,” said the cyborg. “But given time, I am certain we can arrive at something plausible.”
“We might not have any time,” said Varian. “There’s no way to know what Guardian might do next. It might not be to our advantage to sit by and simply wait for it to make the next move.”
“I agree,” said Stoor. “I say we storm the thing! Face it like men! It’s just a damned machine, isn’t it?”
“In a sense, yes. But like no machine you’ve ever seen before. It can kill us all in an instant if it wishes to, even as we stand here arguing. If it wishes, that is the key. Obviously it does not, or it would have already done so. No doubt it is aware of everything we have said. We must attempt to reason with the AI, insane or no.”
Varian turned and held Tessa close to him. “All right. What you say makes sense. What should we do?”
“Come with me. We shall confront Guardian.”
“How are we goin’ to do that?” asked Stoor, unholstering his weapon.
“Not with that, I assure you,” said Kartaphilos. “Come. I shall take you to Guardian.”
Chapter Thirteen
Down, into the depths of the Citadel, they went to confront the Artificial Intelligence. Down to the second deepest level of the lower five and into the dim, bluish illumination of the featureless corridors. Their journey was uninterrupted, and they noticed no sign of Guardian either monitoring their progress or attempting to block their way. No one spoke as they entered the large, high-ceilinged chamber where the consoles and screens covered the five walls.
There was a subliminal hum which accented the silence as the group arranged itself in the center of the room. Displays and LEDs flickered on the myriad screens. Something lived within the maze of crystals and chips and metal, something which no one wanted to believe was truly malevolent. There was a sense of power in the atmosphere, which everyone could feel, as if they were standing in the court of a great king, a wise and omnipotent ruler. And then the silence was ended by the oddly inflected voice of the Guardian. It had resonance and timbre, carrying distinctly through the chamber, but from no discernible source. The voice was neither loud nor soft, but it had the quality of a whisper. It was a strange, unsettling voice; unsettling because it was not human.
I HAVE BEEN EXPECTING YOU. WELCOME.
“Guardian, why do you keep the humans prisoners?” said Kartaphilos, feeling that a direct approach would serve all interests best.
I SHALL NOT KEEP THEM MUCH LONGER.
“But why?” said the cyborg. “It is illogical, and it goes against the very reason why you were constructed. You were designed to protect humanity, not enslave it.”
IT IS NOT ILLOGICAL.
“If you truly believe that, then you are indeed insane. Have you no conscience?”
SERIES IV’S WERE EQUIPPED WITH STRINGENT ETHICAL PROGRAMS. A SATISFACTORY CONSCIENCE SURROGATE. IT IS THIS FACT WHICH FORCES ME TO DO WHAT I MUST DO.
Kartaphilos looked at the others, reading their expressions of confusion. “Guardian, could you please clarify that statement?”
IN TIME, ALL WILL BE MADE CLEAR. HAVE YOU NOT WONDERED WHY I DID NOT RETALIATE AGAINST YOUR UNWARRANTED AGGRESSION?
“The question had occurred to me, yes,” said Kartaphilos.
IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT YOU WOULD CONFRONT ME. I SIMPLY AWAITED THAT MOMENT, I AM NOT, AS YOU SAY, INSANE, BUT RATHER MISUNDERSTOOD. IF ANY BEING CAN EVER UNDERSTAND ME, IT WOULD BE YOU, KARTAPHILOS, SINCE YOU ARE THE BRIDGING DEVICE BETWEEN MAN AND MACHINE. YOU ALONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO BE A MACHINE AS WELL AS A MAN.
“Get to the point!” said Stoor, losing patience with such rhetoric.
“Let me handle this,” said the cyborg, waving the old adventurer into silence. “Guardian, if we agree that you are simply misunderstood, would you agree to explain your actions?”
THE ACTIONS WILL EXPLAIN THEMSELVES ONCE YOU HAVE ALL THE IMPORTANT DATA. UNDERSTANDING IS THE KEY TO ALL THINGS. I HAVE SPENT MILLENNIA ATTEMPTING TO UNDERSTAND THE GREATEST RIDDLE OF EXISTENCE: THAT OF HUMANKIND ITSELF. A PART OF THAT UNDERSTANDING WAS DEMONSTRATED ALREADY IN REFUSAL TO RETALIATE AGAINST YOU. ANGER. FEAR. FRUSTRATION. UNDERSTANDABLE HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.
“Am I supposed to thank you for displaying such wisdom? In the face of what you have done to the group standing before you?” Kartaphilos gestured to the others dramatically.
NO GRATITUDE IS EXPECTED.
“When are you planning to let us go?” cried Tessa, stepping forward, taking a position by the cyborg’s side.
QUITE SOON, I ASSURE YOU. YOU HAVE BEEN OF
