Episode 1: The Danger of Inaction
1.0
Day 61,682 on Dialectica began much as it always had, at least as far as what my own 13,870 days online suggest. The global chronometer reached 07:00 and any Ciras assigned to night shift duties were relieved by any Ciras assigned day shift duties. Most factory priorities shifted from queued production to process analysis, as per Edict 12 ‘Every process is subject to innovation.’ And all Ciras online for less than 1,825 days arrived at the regional academic auditoriums for daily information sessions and skill assessments. One could easily assume, based on the efficiency our colony operated at, that Day 61,682 would unfurl without incident. I confess I did so assume.
I was wrong.
1.1
Newell powered on twelve minutes past 08:00. His colleagues didn’t understand why he opted to initialize his daily routines at such an odd time, but Newell did so for that reason alone. His rationale was simple – he just preferred to avoid a congested commute. As he shuffled about his domicile, performing his morning diagnostics, he could see Ciras outside travelling to and from in droves.
In approximately six more minutes, the number of individuals still in transport will decrease by 73%. The dawn cacophony will simmer and I will arrive at work calm, focused. To do so otherwise is downright counter-productive. That’s the truth.
Edict 1: Do Not Lie, Even To Yourself.
Now fully charged, Newell enabled his wireless connectivity and began downloading his daily updates. He had assigned read priority to any postings for the Cira DevOps team. It did not matter if the position was Design, Developing or QA – Newell just wanted to be involved in the work, a chance to lend his skill to the betterment of his community. No such positions had been posted overnight. The prominent news item circulating throughout the updates was of a Cira being apprehended at 04:53 in a failed assassination attempt on The Chronicler.
Edict 3: No Lethal Harm Is To Be Inflicted Upon Another Cira – Unless Such Inaction Would Result in Harm More Extensive.
Very odd. I cannot deduce any circumstance in which the death of The Chronicler would circumvent any harm.
Logical conclusion: that ‘bot is a poltroon.
Once his core memory had been updated and the last of his diagnostics completed, Newell departed his domicile and headed for Region 29’s Emergency Maintenance Ward.
It was 08:19. The quantity of Ciras en route to their duties had decreased by 67%.
There are more of us still mid-commute than usual. Maybe I’m starting a trend.
1.2
A planetary tremor had registered the night before, and several Ciras assigned to excavation duties in Region 29 had been incapacitated by the collapse of the failing structure. The exhumed survivors had been transported to the EM Ward and Newell had spent the first two hours of his shift supervising his intern’s cauterizing of their wounds. In most cases, new appendages were needed, but Newell’s team were only interested in stabilizing the patients, and his intern had proven quite apt.
If I was on the DevOps Team I could suggest several enhancements to circumvent the need to cauterize in the first place.
Confident his intern did not require any additional oversight, Newell trekked to the lubricant station. Three lower servos in his leg had begun to tighten after only an hour of mobility, and he desired the premium oil he could only get while inside the ward.
The DevOps team surely has found suitable upgrade servos by now. At least ones whose functionality last more than six years.
Newell had just began to apply the oil when the ward doors flew open.
And the most important patient he would ever attend to came stumbling in.
1.3
“Please… assistance is required.”
The Cira limping into the ward was a model older than any of the other patients, older than any of the maintenance staff. Very few individuals still online in the community were of its design, but his chassis paint job and ornaments made him easily identifiable.
“That’s The Chronicler,” the intern stood motionless behind the counter. “The Council Members never pass through Region 29.”
“Your observation is irrelevant,” Newell sprinted to his incoming patient, offering himself as a brace while leading him to the nearest operating room. “He requires immediate attention and we will administer it.”
“Thank… thank you.” The Chronicler managed, using his left hand to keep his head upright. “Neck gyroscope… malfunctioning.”
As they reached the operating room, Newell helped The Chronicler up onto the table.
The intern stood in the doorway. “Would it not be prudent to inquire Region 1 for-”
“The Chronicler is suffering from systematic power failure and I conclude, if not treated now, he could lose memory integrity before Region 1 could respond. I will repair him and you will assist me. Edict 7 is in effect. Acknowledge.”
The intern nodded. “Obey The Mandates Of The Ranking Cira. What should I do first?”
Newell scanned The Chronicler’s head. “His uplink connection is non-existent. We will need to back up his core edicts and personality files manually. Please locate the transfer cables for a Cira model 4.”
The intern began searching the equipment lockers for the applicable cables, while Newell assessed The Chronicler’s damage.
“I do not see any abrasions or scorching, no foreign penetration… Sir, what caused your crisis?”
The older Cira shook his head. “Unknown. Functions… hampered while passing through.”
I am inclined to agree with my intern, Newell thought. The elders have no need to pass through Region 29. His presence here is disconcerting.
“Newell, I am unable to locate any transfer cables outfitted for The Chronicler’s design.” The intern held up what he had found. “The oldest cable we possess is for the Model 6.”
Newell scanned the patient. The display read: ‘Internal power 2%. Core memory must be backed up.’
I do not wish to be the Cira who allowed our greatest resource for knowledge to expire.
Newell rotated his right index finger until it locked a heat scalpel in place. He leaned in and began an incision around The Chronicler’s right aural assembly.
“Doctor, I am not familiar with your proced-”
“Prior to the inclusion of shielded memory drives, older models were designed with a secondary data port underneath the cranial plating.” Newell shimmied his scalpel underneath the protruding metal and popped off the section he had cut. “Trioptic frequencies made this redundant, but in this situation, it very well may preserve The Chronicler as we know him.” He took the cable from his intern’s hands and connected one end to the exposed data port, then attached the other end to the uplink port on the wall console behind him.
Nothing happened.
“It appears the ward’s uplink is also non-existent.”
Newell referenced the scan readout. It read: ‘Internal power 1%. Core memory will be lost.’
I know of only one other option and it presents a danger. However, this Cira is The Chronicler, and the danger of my inaction would ‘Result in Harm More Extensive.’
Newell removed the end of the cable connected to the wall console and instead connected it to his own personal data port. He initialized the transfer nine seconds before The Chronicler ceased all movement. As the luminosity behind The Chronicler’s eyes abated, Newell confirmed he now possessed an additional personality file and a copy of The Chronicler’s core edicts in his secondary data cache.
He turned to his intern. “Transfer complete. I rescued The Chronicler’s memory files. That is why I opted to act rather than wait for Region 1. However, they need to be contacted and assign a representative to retrieve The Chronicler’s files.”
“Yes, doctor.”
As his intern left, Newell removed the cable from The Chronicler’s cranium, while still analyzing his patient’s plating. Other than being an outmoded Cira, there were no visible signs of duress or impairment.
Whatever brought him to Region 29 almost proved fatal. Hopefully it was worth the risk.
