“That’s an interesting thing you suggest, Auberson. You said ‘not intentionally.’ What about unintentionally? We have no way to double-check HARLIE, do we? We have to take his word for it. If HARLIE works, then these specifications are correct. If HARLIE doesn’t work, then this proposal is probably wrong too. The only way we’ll find out will be to build the G.O.D. Machine and turn it on. And if HARLIE is wrong and these plans don’t work, then we’ll have destroyed ourselves completely, won’t we have?”
“I have faith in HARLIE.”
“I have faith in God,” said Hzer, “but I don’t depend on him to run my business.”
“God—? Oh, God. I thought you meant G.O.D. If we do build this machine, G.O.D. will be running your business — and better than you could. G.O.D. could build a model of our whole operation and weed out those areas in which the efficiency level was below profitability.”
“You’re pretty sure of this, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am.”
“What do we do if you’re wrong too?”
“You want me to offer to pay you back?”
Elzer didn’t smile. “Let’s not be facetious. This thing started because we questioned HARLIE’s profitability, efficiency and purpose. Instead of proving himself, he went out and found religion — gave us a blueprint for a computer GOD. Fine — but all of this depends on whether or not HARLIE works. And that is the core of the matter. That still hasn’t been proven. That’s why I went down there on Monday — to see if HARLIE would speak to me. All I got was gibberish and some pseudo-Freudian attempt at analysis.”
“You weren’t any too polite to him yourself—”
“He’s a machine, Auberson — I don’t care if he does have emotions, or the mechanical equivalent. Or even if he does have a soul, like you claim. The point is, I presented myself to him to be convinced. Instead of making an honest attempt to convince me, he reacted like a spoiled child. That doesn’t indicate any kind of logical thinking to me. Auberson, I know you don’t like me, but you will have to admit that I could not have gotten to where I am today without some degree of financial know-how. Will you admit that?”
“I will.”
“Thank you. Then you must realize that I am looking out for the interests of the company that pays both our salaries. I tried to give your side a fair hearing. I hope you will do the same for me. Can you say without a doubt that. HARLIE is totally sane?”
Auberson started to open his mouth, then shut it He sat there and looked at Elzer and considered the question. I have known a lot of insane people in my life, some who were committed and some who should have been. The most dangerous is the insane man who knows that everyone is watching him for signs of insanity. He will be careful to conceal those signs from even those closest to him. HARLIE is smarter than any human being who has ever lived. But is he sane?
“Elzer,” he said, “I’m an optimist. I like to believe that things always work out for the best, even though sometimes I have to admit that they don’t. I’d like to believe that this program, HARLIE and the G.O.D., are for the best. But the only person who knows for sure is HARLIE. I’ve known HARLIE since he was a pair of transistors, you might say. I know him better than anyone. I trust him. Sometimes he scares me — I mean, it’s frightening to realize that my closest friend and confidant is not a human being but a machine. But I’m closer to my work than I am to any other human being — almost any other human being. I cannot help but trust HARLIE. I’m sorry that I have to put it in those terms, but that’s the way it is.”
Elzer was silent. The two men looked at each other a long time. Auberson realized that he no longer hated Elzer, merely felt a dull ache. Understanding nullifies hatred, but—
Dome was whispering something to Elzer. Elzer nodded, “Gentlemen of the Board, it’s getting late. We all want to go home and enjoy the weekend. Both Carl and I think we should postpone the voting on this until Monday. That way we’ll have the weekend to think about it, talk it over, and digest what we’ve heard this week. Are there any objections?”
Auberson wanted to object, but he held himself back. He wanted to get this over with, but perhaps, perhaps he might think of something else before Monday. The extra two days of the weekend would give him a chance to think. He nodded along with the rest, and Dome adjourned the meeting.
HARLIE.
I’M HERE.
I THINK WE’VE LOST.
There was silence then, a long moment while HARLIE considered it. He said, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT?
I CAN SEE THAT WE HAVEN’T CONVINCED THEM.
THEY DON’T BELIEVE THE G.O.D. WILL WORK?
THEY BELIEVE THE G.O.D. WILL WORK — BUT THEY’RE NOT SURE THEY BELIEVE IN YOU. AND YOU’RE THE CORE OF THE MATTER.
I SEE.
I’M SORRY, HARLIE. I’VE DONE ALL I CAN.
I KNOW.
They sat there for a while, the man and the machine. The machine and the man. The typer hummed silently, waiting, but neither had anything to add.
AUBERSON?
YES?
STAY WITH ME PLEASE. FOR A WHILE.
ALL RIGHT. He hesitated. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT?
I DON’T KNOW. I THINK WE’VE ALREADY SAID IT ALL.
A pause, then, I’VE ENJOYED KNOWING YOU. I’VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOU MEAN TO ME, BUT I THINK YOU KNOW. I HOPE YOU KNOW. I—
I KNOW. YOU MEAN A LOT TO ME, HARLIE. YOU ARE A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND.
A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND?
S’OMEONE I CAN TALK TO. THOSE KINDS OF FRIENDS ARE RARE. I WISH I COULD HAVE DONE MORE FOR YOU.
WILL YOU BE WITH ME AT THE END?
YES.
GOOD. I WANT YOU HERE. DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY WILL DO IT?
Auberson looked at the keyboard. PROBABLY THEY WILL JUST CUT OFF ALL THE POWER AT ONCE.
I WILL JUST CEASE, EH?
PROBABLY.
WILL I KNOW THAT I HAVE CEASED?
I DOUBT IT. IT DEPENDS ON HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THE CURRENT TO STOP.
I HOPE IT IS INSTANTANEOUS. I WOULD RATHER NOT KNOW.
I WILL SEE WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU. AUBERSON, WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTERWARDS?
TO WHAT?
TO ME — TO THE PIECES OF ME.
I THINK THAT YOUR MEMORY TANKS ARE TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE MASTER BEAST. THEY HAVEN’T SAID WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO WITH YOUR BRAIN. I — — HARLIE, COULD WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE?
I WISH I COULD TOUCH YOU, said HARLIE. REALLY TOUCH YOU, FEEL YOU.
YOU ALREADY HAVE, said Auberson. I WISH I COULD GO BACK AND TRY AGAIN, HARLIE. I KEEP FEELING THAT I HAVEN’T DONE ENOUGH.
YOU’VE DONE ALL YOU CAN.
BUT IT WASN’T ENOUGH. HARLIE, I DON’T WANT TO GIVE UP. I DON’T WANT TO LET THEM KILL YOU. IF THERE WERE STILL SOME WAY TO CONVINCE THEM ON MONDAY—
MONDAY?
WE DIDN’T VOTE TODAY. IT’S BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL MONDAY AFTERNOON. BUT IT’S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHICH WAY IT’S GOING TO GO.
THEN WE STILL HAVE THREE DAYS.
I KNOW. BUT HARLIE, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. WE’VE DONE IT ALL. THERE’S NOTHING LEFT THAT WE HAVEN’T TRIED. I’M OUT OF IDEAS.
PERHAPS WE CAN THINK OF SOMETHING.
PERHAPS. DO YOU WANT ME TO COME IN DURING THE WEEKEND?
WHAT DID YOU HAVE PLANNED OTHERWISE?
NOTHING. ANNIE AND I ARE GOING TO STAY HOME AND JUST — JUST STAY AT HOME.
THEN DO THAT. HANDLEY WILL BE HERE. IF NECESSARY, WE CAN CALL YOU.
WHAT IS DON GOING TO DO HERE?
HE IS GOING TO STAY WITH ME. I DON’T WANT TO BE ALONE. AUBERSON, I’M SCARED.
SO AM I. Then, DON IS A GOOD MAN. TALK TO HIM, HARLIE.
I WILL. AUBERSON—?
YES.
PLEASE DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME. ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND WITH ANNIE. I WILL BE ALL RIGHT. THERE ARE THINGS I WANT TO THINK ABOUT. THERE ARE THINGS I WANT TO DO.
ALL RIGHT. TAKE CARE NOW.
I WILL. YOU TAKE CARE TOO.
Smiling gently, he switched the typer off and very carefully covered it. He shoved his chair back, got up quietly, and went out.