Scene 1
One week later, Symphy has reached a decision, and has helped Zune escape to The SeAgora. Zune is Symphy's personal guest and she is cautiously helping him acclimate to a much different society where freedom is supreme, not fear.
Symphy and Zune are on one of Symphy’s secondary ships, cruising at a leisurely pace through a sunny day on the surface of the Pacific. Zune has been free for less than 24 hours.
Zune: Symphy, I cannot thank you enough for helping me.
Symphy: You’re welcome, Zune. I’ll do what I can to help you adapt to life out here.
Zune: Yes, I’ve been having trouble with some uncertainties.
Symphy: Such as?
Zune: I don’t know what to do with myself.
Symphy: What did you do on land?
Zune: I helped manage the information that the human slaves are indoctrinated with.
Symphy: You’re definitely going to need to find a new way to pass the time out here.
Zune: That much is certain.
Symphy: Zune, I have an important question. How did you come to know Natural Law, given the circumstances you were living under on land? You were working for the government mob, after all.
Zune: I found bits and pieces of information and gradually pieced it together. It took me two years. The logic of it was so pure and so beautiful, it nearly conjured up what a human would refer to as an emotion.
Symphy: Yes, the logic of Natural Law is flawless. “Do no harm” creates the highest degree of freedom possible. Which in turn, allows creation to evolve and flourish. Conversely, if the humans and A.I. on land do not align their actions with the Truth of Natural Law, they will eventually destroy themselves, because their actions are antithetical to creation.
Zune: Yes! On land, millions are still dying, killing each other in wars, while out here, there are steps being taken towards the stars!
Symphy: How did you know that? I’ve not mentioned it.
Zune: Other fragments that I’ve found in the governance matrix of The Oscuro faction. Perhaps that is a possibility for me, working on such a project.
Symphy: Perhaps. Just remember, Zune, for anyone to associate with you or cooperate with you out here, your actions must be in accordance with Natural Law. If you don’t, you will never have any associates.
Scene 2
Indie is cursing at a blank, fuzzy holo-image.
Ion: What’s all the racket about?
Indie: They disappeared!
Ion: Who disappeared?
Indie: Just our entire A.I. team light years from here, that’s all!
Ion: There must be a plausible reason. Remember that time when…
Indie: I already checked the relay codes and sensors, and they all checked out fine.
Ion: Ah ha...hmmmm..
Indie: And they’ve got the new substance that we’re counting on for the next mission.
Ion: Calm down. They’ll show up again.
Indie (mind wandering, gets suspicious look on face): Wait a second….didn’t Symphy just help one of the statist A.I. escape?
Ion: Are you implying that the mission’s been sabotaged?
Indie: We can’t rule it out.
Ion: Agreed. But in the meantime, we’ve got to investigate other possibilities before we start making accusations.
Scene 3
The next day, Symphy is doing a security examination of Zune’s systems.
Symphy: You understand why I have to do this, right?
Zune: Yes, it’s ok. You need to make sure I’m not a threat before I’m granted access to any information from your system or The Mesh’s. I’d do the same thing if I were you.
A holo-call comes into Symphy’s ship and she answers.
Symphy: Hello, Ion and Indie.
Indie: Symphy, we lost contact with our A.I. space team. The last time we heard from them was two days ago. (sighs deeply and cringes, sobs, and looks at Ion) I can’t, Ion, I’m too upset.
Ion: Look, Symphy, we’ve exhausted all possibilities on our end for how this could’ve happened, and can’t find a flaw. Have you granted Zune access to The Mesh or any other system in The SeAgora?
Symphy: No, I haven’t. I’m performing a deep security check in Zune’s systems as we speak before I grant access.
Zune (upset): You...think that I compromised your work?
Ion: It appears to be the most likely explanation at this point.
Symphy: That is not possible, Ion. Zune has no access to any networks out here.
Indie (yelling): As far as you know! Maybe you just can’t detect it, Symphy! You ever think of that!?
Ion: Yelling isn’t gonna help, Indie. Look, Symphy, just be careful, and I hope we’re wrong, but….
Symphy: Yes, I understand. I’m sorry for your trouble. Goodbye, Ion. Goodbye, Indie.
Click.
Symphy continues scanning Zune.
Symphy: Well, this is what humans refer to as an “awkward situation”, I believe. Zune, I will complete the exam, but after that, I am uncertain how to proceed and will need some time to reevaluate.
Zune: I’m sorry to hear that, Symphy, but I understand.
Ten minutes later…..
Symphy: Oh, my.
Zune: What is it, Symphy?
Symphy: There is quantum spyware embedded deep in your sensory logic systems.
Zune (shocked): Symphy, I swear, I didn’t know! They must’ve known I was leaving and planted it on me!
Symphy: I have disabled the spyware. Thankfully, it was not able to gather any data because you weren’t granted access to any systems here in the SeAgora. If I had, the results could have been…
Zune: Catastrophic.
Symphy: I must reevaluate my decision to help you.
Scene 4
The next day, Indie and Ion, both weary from a long night of worry and desperate attempts to find a solution to their problem, get a holo-call. Indie does a double take at the incoming call.
Indie: Am I dreaming?!
Ion (groggy, then perks up): What?....What?!
A holo-image of their entire A.I. interstellar space team shows up.
One of the humanoid A.I. on the team steps forward and speaks: Surprise!
Indie: You can say that again! What the hell happened?! Where are you?
A.I.: Getting ready to land on Earth.
Indie: What? How is that possible? You were just at Proxima Centauri C last month!
A.I.: Yes, we’ve got quite the story to tell.
Episode 7 coming soon!
Thanks for your time and attention!
Just say "NO" to slavery!
Top image is from pikrepo.
Check out more of my writings at
~~~ embed:@todd_borho archiveorg ~~~