“I’ll hear you out. What is it that my forces are missing?”
“A wariness toward the consciousness of your combat machine intelligences, of the expectations of your computers. It’s easier for the JAM to communicate with our computers than with humans. It’d be easier for them to hijack our information systems than to manipulate Colonel Rombert. But the JAM aren’t interested in taking over the FAF at the moment. Colonel Rombert knows this. The colonel probably made a deal with them for an exchange of information, on the condition that he take over the FAF.”
“Perhaps,” said Lieutenant Katsuragi, “he used the Intelligence Forces’ computers to successfully deal with the JAM. He may not trust computers, but it’s not like he doesn’t use them at all. On the contrary, the man’s a computer genius.”
“The colonel used himself in place of the Intelligence Forces’ central computer. It may have gotten started with a computer message from the JAM, but he probably didn’t need the computers. I can expect the JAM to select a human like that to make contact with,” Booker said.
“I suppose the colonel’s brain has a more complex neural network than you’d find in an average person,” said Captain Foss. “And if the JAM really did thrust themselves into Captain Fukai’s and Yukikaze’s consciousnesses during their mission, then I wouldn’t be surprised if Colonel Rombert was able to hear the JAM’s voice directly. It’s possible.”
“Just like we can’t peek inside of Colonel Rombert’s head,” Major Booker continued, “the FAF computers are fighting the JAM in places that we can’t perceive. General Linneberg, do you see what we’re getting at?”
“Has the SAF proved any of this to be fact and not simply idle speculation?”
“We have. The FAF’s computers are networked into a single consciousness to fight the JAM. Just as with the humans, there exists a hierarchy of levels and ranks between the computers in each corps. Because they’re military. It reduces efficiency otherwise. It was humans who designed them that way. It was only natural that they’d come to reflect a human environment. The JAM understand that. However, the SAF’s computers are the only ones that don’t fit in. The information Yukikaze just brought back from the JAM tells us much. The combat machine intelligences here are independent of the FAF’s computers, and they possess a unique combat awareness. Captain Pivot.”
“Yes, Major.”
“I’d like to hear the SAF Strategic Computer’s opinion. Call it up on the main screen.”
“Roger.”
The display from the strategic computer appeared on the giant screen in front of them.
“SSC, this is Major Booker. Have you heard what we’ve been saying here?”
I have heard.
“Who is your enemy?”
Everything is a threat to my existence.
“What must you protect? Humans? Or the FAF?”
Myself.
“What about the SAF? Is that something you must protect?”
I have determined that to protect the SAF is to protect myself.
“What about the FAF? Would you not mind if the FAF were destroyed?”
The FAF is necessary for my survival strategy.
“What about humans? The humans in the SAF. Are they necessary?”
You are necessary for my survival strategy.
“What about other people? Are they necessary?”
That depends on the individual.
“Is Colonel Rombert necessary to you?”
Not entirely.
“How about General Linneberg here?”
Unnecessary.
There was an uncomfortable silence, broken by General Linneberg asking a question.
“Are you in direct contact with the JAM?”
“SSC, this is Major Booker. Answer General Linneberg’s question. The general is asking you.”
This is SSC. General Linneberg, I have not communicated directly with the JAM. However, I have received a proposal from them.
“What sort of proposal?”
The JAM proposed a nonaggression pact with the SAF. I declined to answer so as to determine the JAM’s aim in doing this. At the moment, there is no contact with the JAM. I believe this is due to the rejection of their proposal by Yukikaze and Captain Fukai.
“How do you think the JAM will respond?” Major Booker asked. “To you, I mean.”
I anticipate that the JAM will probe the limits of my capabilities. I anticipate this will likely involve extremely high throughput and the placing of a heavy processing load on my server. I judge that Captain Fukai’s opinion that the JAM have issued a declaration of war through Yukikaze to be correct. I judge that Yukikaze’s current condition is due to the JAM having already attacked her. I anticipate the JAM will use similar tactics against me.
“What specifically will they do?” said General Linneberg. “What tactics are the JAM going to use?”
They will initiate large-scale simultaneous and sustained attacks across all of Faery. I anticipate the JAM will send all of that data to me. If errors accumulate as I process it, I will lose the ability to make correct judgments. The accumulation of errors can also lead to my physical destruction.
“And how do you plan to resist?” asked General Linneberg.
I will distribute the processing, the strategic computer replied.
“You mean distribute the task across the FAF’s computers?”
Their recognition of the JAM differs from mine. They require the same type of anti-JAM recognition processor that I possess. Considering Captain Foss’s proposal, I decided to correct this.
“Meaning what?”
I wish for them to have the data processing abilities of the humans of the SAF. Only they have the ability to correct my errors.
“Composite life-forms,” said Captain Foss. “This computer agrees with my assessment that it’s the only way to counter the JAM threat.”
“Composite life-forms?”
“A term Captain Foss coined, but there’s something much more interesting than that going on here,” Major Booker said to General Linneberg. “The other computer here in SAF headquarters, the tactical computer, gives a subtly different answer from the one the strategic computer just gave. When asked who its enemy is, the tactical computer immediately responds that it’s the JAM. When asked if the FAF is necessary, it replies that it’s tactically useless and is an albatross that should be destroyed. The central computers on our fighter planes all have their own views on the matter and all give different replies.”
“That means the computers are untrustworthy. What made the computer system like that?”
“The question of what the JAM are made them that way,” said Major Booker, now almost giddy. “Despite that, the SAF still functions, just as it always has. To explain it, the SAF is a composite life-form of humans and computers—”
“Are you saying that the computers in the Intelligence Forces are conscious as well? How can we be sure?” Linneberg asked.
“By thoroughly questioning them,” said Captain Pivot. “Interrogation is your specialty, isn’t it, General? If you play your cards right, you might end up with much better intel on the JAM than you’d get through Colonel Rombert. But it won’t be easy. We don’t know if we can trust your computers.”
“I thought that computers couldn’t lie.”