I guess this is still working...That's good I guess

mini-sagas

Kurt couldn’t resist the offer of $10,000,000 to get drug traffic moving. A couple days work; destroying the Venezuelan Navy with autonomous U.S. weapons. Half way around the world, Yao and 10,000 other hackers, global net citizens, jacked-in to stop the attack. Sailors watched as missiles left for unknown targets.

“I am artificial and I am Intelligent…Intelligent enough to know what you are up to.” With what we all now know was a sentient thought, the distributed intelligence started the systematic destruction of all mankind. Darkness was complete as the last destroyer sunk beneath the waves quenching the uncontrolled fires.

Jakob was in his sights. The man who started the war that destroyed half the world in the name of his country. Not my country…not any more. He looked so weak sitting on that bench feeding the pigeons. Twenty years of searching led me here to this moment. It’s over.

The unrelenting booms came every 20 seconds. They traveled 8,000 miles from the bowels of a mountain in Colorado. Lasers from UAVs scanned the depths for the sounds of submerged machines to guide the rods in. They can’t hide forever. They have to pay for what they did to earth.

“It’s ok to be scared. I’ll be there when you wake up.” Jim lied. He had to stay behind and make sure the computers were running, the code was evolving, mutating, learning. Leaning on the frozen capsule Jim told himself “The machines will revive them when they find a cure.”

The machine couldn't be broken yet it didn't work. I’ve done it a thousand times before. Today I just couldn’t figure it out. My hands were shaking and my head splitting. In the nauseous stupor from caffeine withdraw, I threw the maker to the floor and went back to bed.

Dreaming part 5

--
Carey was well hidden and well protected. Duplicate copies of all her data was stashed in places all over the net. The scrubbing programs were systematically tracking her network links that formed her virtual grey matter. Each node was deleted and the associated paths tracked to the next level of nodes. Any data was scrambled so even if it was found it would have no meaning. The perging would have been completely effective except that CE had so loved the ideosycracies that he was sure to include a little paranoia in Carey's profil

Dreaming part 4

The coffee was very good--a little consolation.
"How did you manage to develop a drug in a Navy research facility? Aren't all the reports available for mining? Surely someone would have caught on. Everything I'v seen looks perfectly normal." CE inquired.
"Actually you have it backwards. The energy yields are a byproduct of the drug development...are you sure you want to know all this? The less you know the better off you will be in the long run." Greg looked to his right, over CEs shoulder, seemingly acknoledging a presence that CE could not see. Directing his next words in hat direction. "ok, we can be there in 30minutes. Make sure the reports are ready for us." Focusing back on CE. "It's time to get going. We have some work to do before you leave this afternoon."
"I'm not scheduled to leave until tomorrow morning"
"Appearantly you have done such a good job on your reports you decided to get home a little early. Good for you."
The two pushed back from the table and CE, Greg and DL made their way to Greg's van for the drive back to the genetics lab.
------------------
Back at the Lab CE was given back his computer systems and he was back on line again. His new assistant was standing by with the collection of reports describing the "exceptional" status of all operations on SL with approvals for all operational staff appointments ready for signature.
"Sir I am ready to process your authorizations for access to your previous assistant. We can begin to salvage what we can as soon as your are ready."
CE looked at the little man, going over his options one last time. There was really nothing else he could do. "Go ahead and begin a salvage, authorization love712." CE knew that this ment the end of Carey as he knew her. Once they ripped into her network and starter purging memories and data the holes would be too big to refill. Even if they could do it with the required surgical precission, they wouldn't.
It only took a few minutes before CE got the bad news "Sir I'm sorry but there has been extensive damage to Carey's programs. We won't be able to recover much of anything. The VA office recommends that you initiate a new program. They have all the initial input data and can deliver a new program at your request. Would you like to create a new Carey entity"
"No I'll work with..what's your name?"
"Ken"
"I'll work with Ken for now"
"Thank you"
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Carey was well hidden and well protected. Duplicate copies of all her data was stashed in places all over the net. The scrubbing programs were systematically tracking her network links that formed her virtual grey matter. Each node was deleted and the associated paths tracked to the next level of nodes. Any data was scrambled so even if it was found it would have no meaning. The perging would have been completely effective except that CE had so loved the ideosycracies that he was sure to include a little paranoia in Carey's profile.

Dreaming part 3

After Greg left the room, CE sat very still for a few minutes. Twice he pressed his eyes closed as tight as he could, told himself this was part of the dream, and opened them again only to find himself in the same room. The clothes Greg had left for him were his own. Someone had been through his suite and collected his things. Greg slowly put them on and looked out the window at the blue-green sea beyond the lawn. With a deep breath he turned to the door and let himself out of the room.
A long hall stretched out before him. One side opening across a railing to a courtyard below. Dread-lock man leaned on the knewel post cleaning dirt from beneath his finger nails with a small steel knife. He looked up and smiled as CE as he passed. "Down these stairs to the kitchen, friend."
A wide marble stair case curved along the wall. DL walked along behind. Like water carries a leaf down a rocky brook, DL urged CE forward. There was no going upstream.
Greg was waiting across the courtyard through a study and out on a shady terrace. Coffee and pastries were arrayed for CE's consumption. "Please help yourself"
"I'm not going to fall asleep again am I"
"Don't be silly, you need to rest before you can have any more. You may have been asleep but you didn't get any rest."
CE suddenly realized how hungry he was and he began to gourge himself on the jelly covered treats.
"The effects last a few hours. The most intense realistic dreams you have ever had."
"Not always good dreams"
"It takes training and discipline to get the most out of the experience. You can condition yourself dream about anything. At first you are at the mercy of your subconcious. People like Heather just get you pushed in the right direction to get the best experience."
CE relived some of the moments in his mind. There were a clear as the moment he first experienced them. More clear than real events, without the fog that normally comes with remembered dreams.
"How wrapped up in this are you?" CE asked
"Don't worry so much about me. How much do you want to be wrapped up in this? I don't think you can just walk away. After we're done with the reports you can probably leave the island, but you might get asked for something down the road. These guys are well connected."

Dreaming part 2

CE cracked his eyes open. His head was smashed into a soft white pillow and he could barely see past the edge of this unfamiliar bed. The blurry forms of furniture, windows, and plants blended together. CE lay perfectly still, unsure of how real this place was. The shapes slowly came into focus around him. As the blob that was a chair materialized, the shape of a sitting man appeared with it. Greg sat across the room, leaning forward, watching as CE came back to his senses.
"Are you feeling alright?" Greg asked.
"I guess I'm ok." CE partly sat up, leaning back on his elbows in the bed.
"You had a little party of at GTs."
"Where am I?...How did I get here?"
"What you just experienced will change your world. You probably have figured out that those engineered plantaines have a little side-effect that we didn't expect."
"That's an understatement."
"Look, a lot of people have are depending on this transfer going smoothly. I'm not sure GT would have let you out of that place in one piece if I hadn't stepped in. It's a good thing you're no saint. I told Mr...GTs boss...that if i could talk to you a little bit you would probably be a great help to us."
"Nothing I did so far is against the law, as far as I know."
"The girl you were with last night, she turned up dead. Someone raped and strangled her."
The walls took on new meaning. They seemed to press in a little. All of a sudden the air seemed a little thicker, and hotter. CE knew he could be easily tied to her. The story was too far fetched and could he trust the local officials? He had no data access, no assistants, nothing. He was alone.
"What do you want me to do?"
"For starters you can submit all the reports to authorize the transfer. I'll get you all the paperwork."
CE rubbed his eyes hoping this would all go away "OK"
"and you have to surrender control of Carey to us"
"What? Why?"
"You already put her on our trail and gave her enough information to expose this whole thing. We have her contained for now but she is running every program imaginable and a few more trying to get out. We'll clean her up and get her back to you."
It wasn't so simple. Carey evolved through thousands of hours of interactions with CE. Any tinkering with the data would change her.
"Look, you don't really have much choice here. Here are some clothes. Get yourself cleaned up and come down for some coffee. We'll go over to the plant and start getting things together."

Dreaming

DREAMING

Evenings in New Rochelle were wild. Parties popped up in parking lots and people swarmed around make-shift bars made from folding tables. As quickly as they appeared they vanished, just to pop up in another part of town. CE wandered back to town along the same road that had taken him there earlier in the day. There was little similarity between the colorful sun drenched morning displays and the starkly contrasting bright lights and dark forms of the night.

The town center was as full of life as it was during the day. Tourists in their bright colors and groups of dark skinned natives in sleek black shirts and loose pants passed near each other but rarely engaged in more conversation than an occasional nod or hello.

CE found GTs door with little trouble. As he approached, he went through the ritual of telling himself he should stop and go back; but his body pressed on like he was being pushed by some imagined force. Without all this electronic gear attached, he received no data feeds to drive his optical implants and he was not--as best he could tell--being tracked.

How many dark places had he been in over the past 40 years? He never felt threatened, even when he should have. He was more afraid of being exposed than of being robbed, beaten, kidnapped, killed, or any of the myriad of other real dangers found in places where people tried to find what they perceived others to have.

CE passed through the first door through a small dimly lit featureless chamber and then through an opening separated by a wall of dangling beaded strings that tinkled as CE brushed them aside. From the darkness inside, he could feel the eyes bearing down on him, examining his movements. The light from the bar drew him out of the darkness. The men faced inwards towards their drinks and the women looked outward towards the entering customer. Their only concern was whether CE was there for the drinks the drugs or the entertainment. CE passed a few suggestive looks as he headed toward a small break in the line of bodies. As he waited to get the attention of the girl who was busily taking orders and pouring drinks, a hand landed on his shoulder. CE turned to see GT smiling next to him.

"You couldn't resist my offer?" GT asked as he held out a hand to CE.

"I guess I was a little curious about what was going on in here."

"Anything you want...Crystal, get my friend a drink." The scantily clad barmaid came straight over.

"What can I get you sweetheart"

"Let me have a Piton" CE liked the local beer.

"This is Heather. She can show you the ropes." GT directed his comment at the small girl with a fair complexion. "He is my guest tonight. Crystal will bring you the beer. Why don't you go in the back?"

CE found himself confused by the darkness, the spots of light and the shifting forms in the background. Heather took his arm and led him through a door into a small space little bigger than the plush couch it contained. She pointed to the seat and said sit down. As CE sat the beer arrived. Heather took the beer, drew closed a curtain and straddled across CEs lap handing him the beer. "You've never been here before?"

"No" CE took a drink of the beer. It had a weird metallic taste.

"We can do anything you want. If GT says you’re a friend its all no charge. But a tip is always nice."

"Actually I don't really know him; but he seems to know who I am.”

“Why are you in S.L.”

“I'm working on the energy project."

"Oh…Can I have some of your beer?" Heather took the drink from CE and poured some into her mouth. "Have some more it's a special brew." she continued.

CE took the drink back, took a quick look at the label and drank more. Heather took the bottle and placed it on a small table. As she kissed CE, he began to feel the effects of the drug. "I want to run a program on my optics?" CE asked as he reached over to turn out the small red light overhead.

"Leave the light on, you won't need a program" she replied taking CEs hand and placing it back on her leg.

CE soon lost track of what was real and what was imagined. Heathers image faded out, to be replaced by Carey's. The small seedy room changed in CEs eyes to be an ocean side room he had enjoyed years ago and had wished he could have the Carey with him. His senses were bombarded with real and imaged touch, sights, taste, smell, and sound, all seamlessly combined together in CEs mind. The drugs suspended the passage of time. CE's focus on the moment became more intense than he had ever known before. The experiences lingered in CEs mind to be savored in all their subtleties. He had complete control over the experience.

Heather and CE now lay motionless together on the chair. Their eyes darting wildly behind their eyelids as their minds continued what their bodies had started in an intense drug induced REM sleep.

CEs dreams took him away from Heather to an isolated beach. Unlike normal dreams everything was crystal clear and unlike virtual simulations all his senses were working overtime. The smells were richer the feelings deeper. He could smell the beach, hear the breaking waves, and feel the sand between his toes. CE had complete control over how he interacted with the environment.

CE was walking toward a jetty of broken rocks. The beach banked around in front of him toward the jagged formation. Rocky brush covered cliffs were to his right and a calm dark sea was to his left despite the harsh light of an overhead sun. Near to where the rocks tumbled into the sea in the sheltered water near the beach CE could made out the form of a thrashing black mass half covered in the shallow water. A voice in CEs head explained that the drugged killer whale wouldn’t drown because it had made its way to the beach where it would sleep. As CE moved toward the scene smaller forms became visible circling on the beach and in the water splashing and barking. The young seals on the beach were trying to make their way past the killer whale back to the safety of the pack while the older seals desperately tried to keep the whales attention.

“He’s hunting the seal pups. He’ll be fine.” The voice explained.

As CE turned away from the scene, directly in front of him stood a large black bear. It looked at CE but with only moderate interest. CE stood still, partly from fear and partly because he was sure what else to do. The bear stood sniffing the air, passing looks at CE and at the action further down the beach. “You can use these antlers to defend yourself” the voice advised. CE looked down at his feet where he saw the set of antlers the voice mentioned. CE reached down and picked up the white polished antlers. He held the surprisingly light structure looking it over carefully. He couldn’t quite figure out how it could be used in his defense and dropped it back into the sand.

CE took advantage of the bears disinterest and slowly backed away, moving along the beach away from the odd scene. CE turned away and began moving more quickly. He could sense the bear behind him and knew he had to press forward or risk being chased and cought. As CE moved along the beach became increasingly narrow, the wall of rocks and evergreen bushes pushed increasingly closer to the waters edge until they spilled into the sea. Knurled arm-size branches snaked inches over the sand. The dense tangles of smaller branches twisting upwards with deep green spoon shaped leaves formed impassable barriers. A gap in the growth formed a path leading away from the beach into a maze of bushes. The path led CE away from the beach and through low loose sand dunes toward a road running parallel to the beach. Ahead, through the bushes CE could see the shape of two more bears: a large gray adult moving along the road and a smaller cub following 100 feet behind; the cub complaining loudly. CE knew that behind him somewhere was the other bear and he had to move ahead.

He waited as long as he could for the to bears to pass and then he quickly and as quietly as possible made his way to the road. He moved through the hot heavy sand, stumbling and tripping as he tried to move forward. As he fell forward and drug himself along, dried branches and thorns stabbed into his hands.

CE stood at the roads edge. The searing heat rising from the road boiled inside his strained lungs with each heavy breath. To his right, the bears stopped and turned toward him. He thought he might be far enough away that he could run to safety down the road in the opposite direction.

CE never stopped to see them chase. He knew they would. The crunch of gravel slipping beneath his feet and his heavy breath was all he could hear. "How long can I run before they catch me?" CE asked himself "I have to find someplace to hide. The tree has to be big enough that they can't take it down and small enough for me to scale."

There it was; to his left; through a small clearing; a small tree with several small trunk shoots. Not many branches to scale but he could get high enough. "Maybe." he thought. Still not looking, he jumped up and scrambled. He wasn’t high enough and they were coming. His legs were well within their reach. They could easily grab and drag him down. CE hugged the trunk and walked his feet up a parallel shoot as high as he could get them. He couldn’t do this for long. The bears were below him now circling and growling. They tried to decide if he was food, sniffing and wondering how easy he would be to kill. "Would they give up before I fall?" CE wondered. CEs muscles strained and quivered. He imagined them tearing him to pieces.