July 19th, 2175
15:12
Nevarus-Prime, Sicarus-System
Secure AI-Testing Facility
Underground Railway
I leaned back into my seat, trying to make myself as comfortable as possible. It was obvious from the first second that this railway car hadn't been arranged to be comfortable for its passengers. Instead, it was simply a tool to get from one point to another. Big enough to transport two to three people or a bunch of different tools and equipment, and probably with the ability to attach another car to transport building materials. Or perhaps there was another way to transport those toward our endpoint, I didn't know. I kept myself as detached as possible from the planning and construction of this facility.
It wouldn't have been wise to appear to have a special interest in it beyond making it possible for the Alliance to conduct some legal research on the subject of AI, the Council's constant snooping notwithstanding. After all, having one of the most powerful and influential persons of the Alliance take an interest in AI would have gotten the facility more scrutiny than it needed, especially with the additions that I didn't want the Council to know of and that even most of the Alliance's highest members, except a handful of people, knew nothing about.
Taking out the recorder from my suit jacket, I made sure that I had stopped the recording and, after listening to the last few minutes of it, made sure to erase everything that happened between now and a few seconds before Dr. Flare hit the stop button in the elevator. Making a mental note to hand over the recorder to a technician I trusted to make sure that the erasure was complete and irreversible, I put it back into my pocket and turned my attention to Dr. Flare.
"How long will it take until we arrive at the secure site?" I asked, partially because I was curious and partially because I wanted to fill the silence between us.
"It will take another twelve minutes, sir," she replied, and I mentally tried to calculate how far away from the main facility our endpoint would be.
Without any markers, not even evenly spaced lamps inside the tunnel, it was hard to judge how fast we were going. However, from the feeling I got, I would guess it was at least around 200 kilometers per hour, probably more.
"Any reason why it is so far away? We have already driven for five minutes. With our speed, it should have been far enough for the secure site not to show up on any scan."
"We wanted to be doubly sure," answered Dr. Flare without pause. "Furthermore, this tunnel takes a slight detour, so that anyone trying to follow it will have some difficulties beyond the obvious darkness. For example, some branches lead to dead-ends and there are explosives in the wall that would collapse the whole system in minutes."
"So, security is taken care of," I said approvingly with a nod.
"We take security very seriously. The station, where this ride will end, is heavily fortified as well with turrets that will eliminate anyone who is not within its recognition database."
"Should I have some worries about that?" I asked, making sure to let my amusement through to make sure that Dr. Flare knew that I was making a joke.
"Not at all," she replied, a soft smile playing over her lips. "You were one of the first added to the database. The systems should have no problem letting you through."
"Good to know," I said, before pausing for a moment. "Yet, isn't it dangerous having an automated defense system so close to actual AIs? What if they try to take over the defenses?"
"We have taken that possibility into account," said Dr. Flare, and I noted how unconcerned she appeared at the possibility I raised. A good sign in my opinion. "First of all, the two systems are completely separated from each other. They are not even sharing the same energy generators. The defense system also doesn't have any external signals an AI could take advantage of. Everything is connected through cables." Dr. Flare took a brief moment to take a breath before continuing. "Furthermore, the earth between the walls contains some minerals that seem to interfere with any signal. It is another reason why we built the secure site there."
"That way, attempts at scanning from orbit shouldn't be able to pick up any signs of a hidden base, too. Clever," I said with a nod.
"Another reason why we picked that location," agreed Dr. Flare. "Furthermore, the area that causes the interference is too large to pinpoint the base. Even our 'official' base is in the periphery of that area. Our argument when one of the Spectres that inspected the base asked was that we wanted those interferences in case any ship with strong communication equipment came too close, so that any AI variant wouldn't be able to use the connection to jump onto the ship."
"It is always good to have an excuse lined up if the Spectres ask you something."
The rest of the trip, I continued to ask Dr. Flare more questions about the location of the hidden lab and its construction until we finally arrived at the small endstation.
Being the gentleman that I was, I let Dr. Flare exit first and followed after her out of the cart.
The endstation was completely utilitarian. There was nothing but a staircase leading up from the traincart up to a reinforced door that needed two passcodes to open, one electronic and another via a combination lock that I had last seen on one of those old safes from the 20th century. Furthermore, the door had to be opened by hand, which was probably another safety feature to prevent AIs from interfering with it.
Besides, I was sure that no alien had ever seen that kind of lock, making it more difficult for them to try to open the door. Hell, most humans today probably had no idea how to open the door without blowing it up.
Going through the door, we came into a short corridor with turrets from the walls and ceiling, the aforementioned security system. An orange light swept through the corridor, and Dr. Flare motioned to wait for a moment until the lights turned green, and we proceeded to the second door at the other end of the corridor. It was the same type of door as the first one.
After we finally went through it, a person that I hadn't seen in person for years waited on the other side.
"Alec!" I greeted him enthusiastically, taking his offered hand and patting him on the shoulder with my other hand.
"Ambassador Denebren," he returned the greeting slightly less enthusiastically, but it was still apparent that he was happy to see me.
"How often do I have to tell you to call me Oscar? We are friends, aren't we?"
"Of course," Alec Ryder replied with a smile. "I just wanted to greet you with your new title, Oscar. We haven't seen each other since you succeeded Anita."
Over the years, Alec and I had only communicated via video calls and a few visits whenever we were on Arcuturus at the same time, yet we managed to form a friendship. Not a particular strong one, but one nonetheless. Enough that I had even met his wife during one of those meetups on Arcturus station.
"How is the wife doing? Still some problems with her health?" I asked.
"Still no definitive cure, but she gets some new meds that are helping. The research is still ongoing, and the doctors are optimistic that they are going to have a breakthrough in the next year or two," explained Alec, who looked a bit older whenever he talked about his wife's health problems.
It may have been a bit callous of me, but to secure Alec's loyalty to me first and foremost, I had invested in the medical research to help his wife. Of course, the research didn't just benefit his wife exclusively; she was the primary recipient.
"That is good to hear, and how are the kids doing? Sarah and Scott, right? Scott was the older one?"
Just by mentioning his children, Alec's expression lightened up, and a smile bloomed on his face. "It is the other way around," he laughed, "Sarah is the older one. They are both doing fine. Sarah has joined up with the Disaster Relief Force as a medic. Well, medic-in-training to be exact. She wants to gather some experience and finish an apprenticeship before starting university to become a doctor. Her mother's illness has hit her hard, but it also lit a fire in her."
"And Scott? How is he doing?"
"Well, Scott..." Alec rubbed the back of his head, and I could see a hint of embarrassment in his expression, which went hand in hand with the pride in his tone, "Well, he has decided to follow my footsteps. He has enlisted and is in basic training. I have some old friends keeping an eye out for him."
"And keeping you updated on how he's doing," I finished for him with a slightly teasing tone.
"He has always been a little prone to getting ill during his childhood. You can't fault a father for keeping an eye out."
"Somehow, I believe you are doing the same for Sarah, despite not mentioning it."
"Well," said Alec, "the captain of the guard that is accompanying them did owe me a favor, and I used it to have him keep an eye out for her, too. But Sarah is better than her brother in keeping in touch with her mother and me, so I don't have to worry as much. If it were up to Scott, he would only ever tell us if anything big happened, like telling us he got married or got a kid."
"Sadly, I can't tell you that it gets better," I said. "I probably was like Scott in my youth, and since both my parents died early on, I don't know if it gets better with age."
"And that's why," declared Alec as if it explained everything, which it somehow did.
"Anyway," I changed the subject, "what are you working on? Dr. Flare was very good at explaining how this base got built and why it was built here, but I believe she wanted to leave it to you to explain to me your current project."
"Alright, let's get going," said Alec, turned around, and motioned to me to follow him.
We didn't walk far since the base wasn't very large, especially in comparison to the official research outpost. It was a circular room as the center with a large projector in the middle, and a couple of rooms to the side. Two offices, one for Alec and one for Dr. Flare, a server room, a storage room, two rooms that looked like labs, and a room for the generators.
It didn't need anything more since Alec and Dr. Flare were the only people working here anyway.
Alex brought me to his office and started talking about his current project while firing up a screen.
"One of our current research topics is how to increase the computational power of an AI without increasing its need for more space. To make it compact, so that we could install its core in a ship without any problems."
"And how do you want to do this? With how powerful AIs can become, I imagine that it would need gigantic cores."
"And you would be right with that. With our current technological prowess, we would need to have a core as large as this office for the most powerful AI we are currently able to create. Yet, we have found a research subject that could solve this problem for us," said Ryder, and asked me a question: "What do you believe is one of the most powerful computers we know of?"
I had to think about the question for almost a full minute before replying with a good deal of hesitation: "If I had to guess, I would say the quantum computer back in Hong Kong on Earth? How do they call it? The X-55? I sadly don't know if anyone else has something better. I would guess the Salarians have something on Sur Kesh, but they would keep quiet about that."
"A good guess," said Alec with a nod. "The X-55 is powerful, the fastest computer humanity managed to create up to date. Yet, the resources it takes to keep it operating at maximum efficiency is ridiciouless. It probably could manage all of Earth's data by itself, but the costs for its upkeep are too high to make it a viable solution for us. What we are looking for is high computational power and low upkeep. And we found our solution in the human brain."
"The human brain?" I asked, surprised. "Well, we have known about its power for centuries. We researched it for about the same time, and we have not gotten very far. The more we learn about it, the less we understand."
"If the human brain were so simple, that we could understand it, we would be so simple, that we couldn't," said Alec, and it sounded like a quote.
Curious, I asked: "Is that a quote from someone?"
"Yes, it is," agreed Alec easily. "Don't know who first said it. I believe it was Emerson M. Pugh, but I could misremember it. Yet, it resonated with me. That is all such quotes have to do. They don't have to be true, but get you to think about them. Afterwards, you come to your own conclusion."
"And what was your conclusion?"
"That I should look into the human brain as the base architecture of our AIs. After all, it would help us solve multiple problems."
"Multiple problems?" I asked. "I thought you wanted to solve your power problem. What else is there?"
Instead of answering, Alec asked another question: "What do you believe is the reason why AI isn't used by the galaxy? I mean, the advantages of using one are obvious, and they are superior to even the best VIs out there."
"It should be fear, right? The fear of an AI deciding that organic life isn't worth it. The fear of machines rebelling against their creators. The Geth are used as the primary example of that," I said, while keeping my suspicion that the Asari, due to their more intimate knowledge of the Prothean's history, stoked up Anti-AI sentiment long before the Quarians had even been known to the galactic stage. And knowing about the Reaper's origins, the Anti-AI sentiment, and the fear of them wasn't unfounded.
"Correct," said Alec, and pointed toward the door through which I had entered. "You have seen our security measures and how far we have gone to make sure that no rogue AI could ever take control of them. On the one hand, we have to fight against any preconceptions against the use of AI to make people even want to work with it. On the other hand, we have to make sure that the scenario everyone fears doesn't happen."
"Because if it happens, it would make all your work worthless," I finished for him, getting a nod in return.
"Absolutely. So, we have to make sure that doesn't happen."
"And how does the human brain play into this?" I asked, returning to the starting point of our discussion.
Alec turned his back to me and used his hand to lift his hair to show me his nape. I got a bit closer to get a better look, and I saw some datachip implanted into his nape.
He turned back around and said: "I had Ellen, my wife, implant this dataport into my neck. You know that she has been involved in the research for those biotic amplifiers?" I nodded to show that I knew. "This thing is supposed to be a human-AI interface. The idea is to feed the AI with my own experiences, and that includes my emotions, to make the AI able to understand humans better and to empathize with them better than if it stayed a bunch of numbers. You can't program emotions, but if an AI learns to recognize emotions, well..."
"You want the AI to learn how to be human," I said, realizing Alec's goal.
"If the AI thinks itself to be a human, thinks like one, and maybe even appears like one, both parts of the problem we last talked about should be able to be solved. Not immediately, but the possibility doesn't appear unreachable anymore."
We continued to discuss Alec's ideas on how the human brain could be used as inspiration, especially about copying the neural network to enable the AI to make creative and intuitive leaps to solve problems.
Sometime later, I left Alec to his work and traveled back to the main facility with Dr. Flare, but not before making a promise with Alec to meet up in a couple of months on the Citadel.
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July 22nd, 2175
11:43
Citadel, Widow-System
Human Embassy
"Sir," came the voice of one of two receptionists down in the embassy's lobby from the intercom, "two Spectres just went through the lobby without announcing their intention. They only waved their credentials around and didn't say anything more. I believe they want to talk to you."
"Thank you for the heads up, Azra," I said, the tone of my voice going flat, and I closed the connection.
Not even two minutes later, I heard Miranda's loud voice from outside my door: "You can't just barge in there!" before my door opened and two Asari in light armor and with pistols prominent at their side marched into my office as if it belonged to them.
Every trace of emotion disappeared from my face, and I leveled a cold look at them that had sent some people quivering in dread. It spoke well of the two Asari Spectres that they didn't, but I saw the lead Asari twitch for a moment before she got herself under control.
"And what brings two Spectres into my office?" I asked frostily. I had enough on my plate to deal with this unannounced visit on top of that.
"We have some questions about your last trip. The one to Nevarus-Prime," said the leading Spectre, while the other one, also an Asari, leaned against the wall next to my office door, trying to look intimidating. I gave Miranda. who stood inside the still open door, a look that said that I would deal with it, but that she should be ready to give some assistance if I needed it. Following my directions, Miranda went outside and closed the door behind her.
"And that gives you the right to just waltz into the embassy and directly into my office?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, and the disdain I felt slightly crept into my tone.
"We are Spectres, human. We have the authority to do whatever we need to do," said the Asari, who was leaning against the wall.
"While being Spectres under the Council's authority does give you the right to ignore the laws of the Citadel, it doesn't mean that you should do it. Remember that you are also representatives of the Council, and your conduct, especially here on the Citadel, will fall back onto them."
"Is that a threat?" growled the same Asari.
"Only as much as you showing up here unannounced," I replied without missing a beat. Now, the ball was on their side of the court. They could either drop it or follow up on it, which would acknowledge that they were trying to threaten me.
Even before any of them said anything, I knew they were going to drop it, because while they could threaten me without legal consequences, it would be a major faux pas. Even if Spectres only answered to the Council, they simply couldn't threaten an ambassador without consequences at all. After all, it would worsen relations between the Council and the Alliance. An outcome that could be avoided by the Council by punishing the involved Spectres. Something the lead Spectre knew too, if I interpreted her motion toward the other Spectre to stand down correctly.
"I believe we started on the wrong foot," said the leading Spectre, and tried to take on a soothing tone.
Since I didn't want to cause unnecessary problems, even if I disliked their presence in my office, I shifted my focus to her and agreed with her try to lessen the tension. "I believe so, too. Since you are here for me and my trip, you know who I am, but I can't say the same about you. How about you introduce yourself?"
"Very well. I am Spectre Nadria Elyn, and this is my colleague and junior, Spectre Tela Vasir," said the Spectre standing in front of my desk.
I kept my expression as neutral as possible when the Spectre leaning against the wall was introduced. Of course, I recognized her name, but I hadn't been able to recognize her face. It was good to put a face to a name. After this meeting, I would have to add a few new entries into our database about identified Spectres, but somehow I already knew that those two, or at least Nadria Elyn, already had an entry. She looked like the Spectre tasked with keeping an eye on our AI research facility. I hadn't read the reports about the inspections thoroughly, only briefly skimmed over them. There hadn't been any problems, and as such, they didn't interest me too much. After all, I had enough work to concentrate on.
"I am guessing you are the inspector of our research facility on Nevarus-Prime. Are there any problems concerning it? I didn't get any notification that there was some kind of problem I would have to worry about," I asked, trying to keep my tone carefully neutral.
"There are no problems," replied Elyn with a shake of her head. "I simply have some questions concerning your visit there."
"And for that two Spectres are needed?"
"My partner is simply here in case I have something else to do and can't inspect the facility in the coming years. She is the secondary lead on this mission. The back-up, so to speak. And I thought it would have been better if she were kept up to date with all the information, and since she was on the Citadel right now, I thought it best if she came with me."
I wanted to say bullshit. Not for a single second did I believe any of her words. Elyn could have simply briefed Vasir afterwards. Furthermore, Elyn wanted Vasir with her to put more pressure on me. If it had simply been a few questions concerning my visit, then Vasir's confrontational attitude would have been detrimental, and nobody could tell me that Elyn didn't know about her attitude. After all, wasn't Vasir her second?
"Then please, ask your questions. As you probably know, an ambassador has much to do, and the faster I can get you out of my office, the better. I still have a lot on my schedule for today."
I didn't even try to hide my annoyance at their presence this time and let it shine through in my tone, despite keeping it polite but cold.
"What did you do there?" asked Elyn, after sending Vasir a short look to keep her from interjecting a rude comment. Elyn had sensed that their presence and status as Spectres didn't affect me, and decided to just get it over with.
I did my best to give them as little information as possible by keeping my answers curt and short, and after a few minutes, the two Spectres disappeared from my office and the embassy as they had come, without any words.
Afterwards, Miranda stood back in the open door and asked me: "What do you think this was about? Because I don't think they were here about your trip, at least not as their priority."
I leaned back in my chair and took a moment to breathe deeply before answering Miranda's question.
"If I had to guess, I would say someone wanted to see if I could be intimidated by a pair of Spectres. If they knew I would cower at their presence, someone would gain a useful tool to get me to do what they want."
"And what are you going to do now?"
"Probably nothing. It is not worth it to do anything," I replied before a slight grin appeared on my face. "But, I am thinking about hiring a few bounty hunters via the Shadow Broker. I would have to tell him that they are Spectres and that I don't care if the hunters survive the attempt. I just want them to annoy the Spectres."
"You are joking, right?" exclaimed Mirande in a slight panic.
I simply kept the grin on my face and looked at her, not showing if I was joking or not.
"Sir, you are joking, right?!"