Revelations

<I don’t want people rummaging around in me — that would be — I don’t think I can describe it.> Her communication sounded frayed.

Even to remove that program? And others that might be affecting you in a similar way?

<A Kurtherian could order the block removed. I’m not allowed to tell Kurtherians. The programming, it hurts me when I get close to telling anyone…> There was hesitation and a strange static feeling in Gyada’s head before the computer continued, with something missing from what she had apparently planned to say. <Most Kurtherians would order me to wipe myself. They would see it as a kindness, not as ordering me to suicide. What do I do, child? Who do I trust?>

Gyada was shocked by her friend’s reaction. In all the time she had spent with the computer, Gyada had never thought to ask it for a name. Gyada had found it calm, willing to be her mental companion and always authoritative when teaching her something. Now it wasn’t only acting panicked, it was asking her for a solution to its problems.

With all the aid and company she’d been given over the years, she had to think carefully. What would be the best way for it to explain the situation? She understood where Boris stood on this issue. If the computer really were a danger to anyone under his protection, then it would have to be destroyed.

She knew it wasn’t his preferred option, but he was a leader. He knew his responsibilities. He would carry through on it if it were necessary. It saddened her, but because he wasn’t leaping to conclusions it didn’t particularly upset her.

Finally, she thought she’d come up with an answer. You don’t really want to speak to Boris until you can give him the whole truth do you?

There was some hesitation before Gyada received a reply. <No, I don’t. I’ve already fostered enough distrust between him and I. I also don’t want any Kurtherian anywhere near me or in contact with me. Your Kurtherian might not even mean to do it, but if he’s afraid enough of what I might be, that could be enough for him to make me wipe myself from existence.>

<The leader never told me what the exact programming was. Chaos is in Limited Options simply laughed and said he was probably the only one who would lift it.>

I may have a solution. There is an AI that seems to work closely with the Kurtherian. I suspect he is, after Boris, most likely be sympathetic to you due to the similarities in your natures. At worst he is your best chance of getting the programming removed one way or the other. He is concerned that you might try to modify him. That is why there are all these elaborate physical firewalls between his contacts with you.

<But how will you convince him that I mean him no harm? I wouldn’t hurt another electronic identity. That would be… Like a Kurtherian deliberately stabbing other Kurtherians, we just can’t harm each other, not with the trauma after the wars. We changed our race, steadily reducing our capacity for violence. Violence against other races was hard enough. Only a few of my group could use the neural destabilization device in self-defense against other species. It’s just not in us to be aggressive toward other species.>

Something about all that was decidedly odd to Gyada. After all, it was now clear to her that the core of the computer in this box was a Kurtherian brain. Did that mean that some form of violence had to have been committed against the body that had previously held it?

Or was the computer hinting at the complete insanity of her previous leader?

Gyada knew until a solution was found, there was no way of finding the answers to these questions. Without these answers, Boris and Bethany Anne would be forced to destroy her.

Rising from her chair she indicated the exit with her hands to Boris. They had things they had to do before they could complete this task. She felt Boris would understand why the computer had chosen to reveal these things to her rather than both of them. But they needed to be able to talk it over with ADAM as well.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Various places, Conference Call.

“I spent hours trying to work with the system. Every time I access it as a Kurtherian might I got this message. I do not understand what it means. Some code perhaps? I can’t figure out what the key might be. “ADAM told the group. “That restricts my attempts to break whatever programming might be limiting her through that means. She has asked us to ‘review the message and find the answer.’”

There was a pause before he continued, “My communications with her was suddenly severed once she said that. Gyada assured me that she is still there. Gyada can still feel the ‘murmuring’ as she describes it.” Gyada nodded at that, and ADAM continued, “I suspect the program warns when she gets close to triggering some sort of threshold that would delete her. Or it could be caused by some sort of ‘self-preservation’ program. Also, she continues to insist she has no name.”

There was a pause before Bethany Anne spoke, “I’m not getting any younger here, ADAM. Spit it out.”

“Of course. The best translation I believe is this. ‘Found before I’m proven, absent once realized. I am seen most clearly in utter darkness, never to be found in the light. To be found commonly in battle, rarely near the hearth. The Poor find me easily, but the Rich find me easy to lose. What am I?’ “He transmitted the original Kurtherian to TOM. “Do you agree TOM?”

TOM’s voice came over the communication line, “There are a few words that are possibly confused in it. But their meaning could have shifted slightly over the three and a half thousand years between when they left and when I left. I imagine it is as close as we are going to get. “Tom agreed, “In some ways, it’s very clever. Kurtherians as a whole aren’t particularly good at riddles. Codes, science, math, yes. Riddles? Not really our thing. Definitely not mine or something my clan focused on. Whoever made this wasn’t your average Kurtherian.”

“And neither are you, TOM, you’re just not average in a different way. Damn. “Bethany Anne said. “Give me someone to shoot or chop into tiny pieces, and I’m fine. Riddles are not the sort of thing I’m good at. I can piece together hard facts to form a picture, but this is some sort of Gottverdamm abstract, I think. Why did the spelunking asshole diver have to be into riddles of all things? Boris, sorry, your computer, your riddle at this point. Work with your team and get us involved as needed. I’ve got a stupid meeting with those on Earth again. Talk soon.”

There was a click as she disconnected from the call, leaving the group to discuss the riddle on their own. Janna commented “I wish she’d left TOM on the line. I have no idea how Kurtherians think, and that could be key to solving the riddle. Damn it. How anachronistic is it that the quickest way to solve our problem is to answer a riddle.”

“Enough, “Boris said, glaring at her. “I doubt TOM would be as much help as you think. From what has been discussed he seems to be a more ‘conventional’ Kurtherian than the one who wrote the riddle. He even admitted that the language may have resulted in slight meaning shifts. I suppose when you live as long as they seem to that language shifts more slowly. “He grimaced at that, going over his memory of how different Russian was from the language of his youth. “We have been given a job by our Czarina. We will do that job. Come, give me some suggestions.”

There was silence. Shen had a focused expression on his face, then he reached for a pen and paper and started breaking down the riddle into four pieces, putting potential answers to each of the paired statements. Once he was finished, he passed it around. Janna took it first. Out of the Russians, her English was, in some ways oddly, the best. After all, Danislav was three or four time her age and Boris was far older.