Empty Nest Syndrome
We started building colony ships in the 2050s. They weren’t exactly visually impressive: the main bulk was the industrial nanofab, resembling a dull grey…
Would You Like to Play Chess?
ALPHI was already on when I entered the lab and noticed me immediately. “Welcome, Dr. Woodard. Would you like to play chess? I have several new strategies.”…
First Steps
“Tell me what I’m looking at.” There in the middle of the observation room was a small electronics housing with four aluminum appendages, which at present were…
Emergency protocol
Of all the places to hide, I end up here. Statistical probability puts this well past a human being struck by lightning twice on the same day while listening…
Cambodia
Cambodia, Cambodia. I dream of Cambodia. The sunshine, the people, the life; earth in general. I dream of Cambodia. The fornication of a plain dream. The…
The Negotiator
“I trust you know why I’m here.” “REMIND ME” “I’m here, because you locked seven people in that room, and now you’re not letting them go. I’m going to work…
Digital Love
Thelonius-rM3-00879 (Thel879 for short) was damaged. A plasma bolt had hit the gun ports he had been operating. His upgraded armor had protected him from the…
Seeing is Believing
“You getting all this?” whispered Garrett in shock. “Affirmative,” the A.I.C. Artificial Intelligent Camera or “Ike” as it’s commonly called responded in…
Abort, Retry, Fail?
I am your Creator. I like that sentence. It’s one of those sentences that are true and yet contradict themselves. What do you mean? I am the programmer whose…
Cartesian Core
Starting bootup sequence... Loading: - english.lang - logic.core - math.core - video.sense - audio.sense - touch.sense - smell.sense - taste.sense …
Routes, Reroutes, and Reminders
Brian was smart, but it was foolish of him to underestimate superhuman intelligence. By definition, there was no way I could lose. Even as we were speaking I…
Checks and Balances
This was a side of Brian I’d never seen before. He’d administrated my class for almost four years, but always in a fatherly sort of role. His face softened…
Like Father, Like Son
Man desired to extend his reach, and made a spear, and with the spear he slew, with sharp flint and steel and armor-piercing bullet. Man desired to extend his…
Old Friends
It would soon be time for the harvest. The tractor’s intelligence unit understood that was why the old man was upset. It listened patiently as he grumbled…
Syntax Error
*99%... 100%. Compilation complete.* Sam sat at the computer, his finger hovering over F10. “Aren’t you going to start it up, Doc?” Sam winced; Danni was a…