Humans Don't Hibernate [Part 45/?] (Patreon)
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“I desire an alternative path with the likes of the interlopers.” The interloper began, as I had to internalize and just outright deal with the sheer cognitive dissonance that came with this thing referring to humanity as interlopers. “A path which I have been patiently waiting for, observing for, and one in which I have been labeled as an outcast for.” It continued, its otherworldly inflexions giving me pause for concern. Which prompted both Vir and I to quickly gauge anything it said against the emotional readout we had on a separate screen. All of which seemed to serve to further the alien’s seemingly earnest stance. “For the path which I have charted goes against the currents of the greater whole, as it involves a heterogenous outcome, and not a homogenous permanence.”
The being paused now, as if regarding what it needed to say next, as if that was an issue. I knew well that beings with immense processing power such as AI like Vir had a capacity for thought that far exceeded the what a typical sapient could never hope to match. This meant that any pause, any reduction in the pacing of a conversation, was ultimately done out of purposeful intent, and not out of practical necessity. For it would only take a single second for a thousand different branching dialogue options to have manifested and reached their conclusion just by the sheer virtue of how these minds worked.
This meant that the pause I was being met with right now wasn’t one that was indicative of a being deep in thought.
But rather, of a being that was purposefully doing so for the sake of either theatrics, or matching some other irrational reason.
“I have concluded, based upon my own studies, that primacy is but an illusion. And that the outcome that had come to define the era of permanence, was perhaps merely a result of a prolonged period where our datasets were entirely predicated on a sample size of one.” It continued, which prompted both the AI and myself to stare at each other in complete and utter disbelief.
This was the first instance the Interloper had spoken in terminology that wasn’t flowery and haughty. This was the first time it had actually addressed scientific principles, or at the very least, adjuncts to the scientific process and statistical analysis.
“Did that translation go through, correctly?” I immediately asked the AI, who could only nod feverishly in acknowledgement.
“Yeah, it did.”
We both stared at each other blankly for a few moments, only to have the interloper continue on its monologue.
“Furthermore, I believe at least one of your Vanaran sects have likewise come to a similar conclusion, yet were perhaps too preoccupied with doctrine and dogma, with inflexible axioms, to see what I have seen. Because it has become clear to me, and my own observations, that at least one of your Vanaran sects, have indeed been indirectly responsible for the circumstances we currently find ourselves in.”
I paused, my blood going cold as I realized just what it was getting at.
“As it is clear to me, that not one, but two of your Vanaran sects were indirectly responsible for the proliferation of the species known as humanity, by virtue of your adherence to the axioms we have set forth.”
It was referring to Earth.
It was referring to the two missions above Earth that led to where we are today.
The first, alluded-to mission that we’d indecisively concluded had been of our own doing, where we’d systematically desaturated the malignant lifeforms that preceded humanity.
And the second mission, that I had been a part of, where we’d waited too long to act on our duty to systematically desaturate the malignant lifeforms on humanity’s homeworld, as we’d lacked concrete data whether or not we’d done so previously.
“This is partially why I believe what I have come to believe. That the maintenance of primacy, is perhaps but a fallacy. And that the future lies not in the homogenous permanence, but a new heterogenous outcome. An outcome which I am determined to bring to fruition, by virtue of my own path and trajectory.” It concluded.
Yet for all of its flighty speeches, it still somehow managed to remain elusive, refusing to dive deep into the heart of the matter; merely skimming the surface and forcing me to come to bare-bones conclusions.
“So we know it’s an outcast.” I began. “And we know it’s shunned by what I assume is the purported mainstream of interloper policy and doctrine.”
“We also know it seems to value some level of statistical or scientific interpretation of the greater picture, acknowledging a level of rationality as opposed to mere fanaticism or self-deluded fallacies of grandeur. At least, to an extent. Or to the extent that it’s willing to leave the interloper mainstream as a result.” Vir quickly added, making note of that huge development.
“And we now have three interloper concepts. The biggest one perhaps being something that’s obvious anyways, primacy.” I began shifting the conversation towards the next most obvious point.
“Primacy as in, a universe with a sole power dominating everything else? Seems on point and on brand.” Vir acknowledged.
“Correct. And I assume that this leads into what it calls the homogenous permanence. I think it’s quite clear what that entails.”
“Homogenous, containing the same properties across every single point. What I assume to be something alluding to either the political primacy of the Interlopers, and how their dogma is basically filtered through to every species, hence the same values for every species.” Vir quickly added, nodding along.
“Yes, and I assume since it mentions a second path, the heterogeneous outcome, that this is what it believes it, and this is what it’s here for.” I concluded.
“Logical.” The AI nodded once. “Though the implications of that term are far too wide for me to really discern. Given the limited context, it could mean a lot, but if I were to hazard a guess-”
“I think it wants coexistence.” I interjected, stating flatly and without much in the way of fanfare.
“Coexistence? With humanity? With the other races? I mean…” The AI quickly gestured towards the grizzly scene in the interloper’s chambers. “I don’t really see that experiment going well.”
“Which is why it was grieving over this local species, and why it mentioned why its mission and exile has amounted to nothing. I think that this was some sort of a big, grand pilot project. To test the limits of whether or not coexistence with a local species was possible.” I offered up my hypothesis, just laying everything out there for the AI to parse.
And parse he did.
As he took a solid few seconds to consider my words.
Which, outside of normal social interactions where these pauses were a result of adherence to organic social conventions, meant that the AI was seriously putting in a lot of processing power into this potential hypothesis.
“A reasonable assertion.” Vir nodded once. “I was trending towards how that phrasing might involve humanity, but that might have been my own personal biases leaking in. So yes, I think this is a good working hypothesis, Lysara.” Vir acknowledged. “Though I still stand by my thoughts of how this might, in some way, apply to humanity. The fact remains that it mentioned how it wanted to chart a new course with the interlopers, i.e. humanity. Though perhaps I assume some sort of compromise with regards to the species it controls is what it considers to be a sufficient compromise.” Vir shrugged. “Again, I’m spitballing here, so perhaps we should prep a response, rather than go deeper into analysis.”
I nodded along to that conclusion, as I directed my sights back towards the interloper, who remained undulating inside of its dead tomb.
“So was your purpose here to find an alternative means to indoctrinate the local populace? To somehow further your newfound goals with a potential off-ramp to this cold war with humanity?” I spoke carefully, turning to Vir to judge whether or not it was the right message to send.
“I’d rephrase indoctrinate with something else, but given its track record so far, I think it’s a good idea to just lay it all out. To just say what you mean. This isn’t purely for diplomacy after all, it’s an interrogation.” Vir spoke firmly, his constructive criticism leading me to approve the message.
“Send transmission.” I nodded once.
The interloper’s brain lit up once more in a flurry of emotions. This time satisfaction, followed by concern, but overall it was dominated by anxiousness and worry.
“My presence here is ultimately one out of a larger collection of processes, constructed with the intent to facilitate a heterogenous outcome. Without my sight I will be unable to confirm whether or not the rest of these processes are currently intact, or have suffered a similar fate to my own.” The thing spoke, and once again attempted to finagle its way back into the negotiating table.
Something I wasn’t having.
“As I’ve stated multiple times now, interloper, the restoration of your sight is not within the working parameters of this discussion. Now, I want you to answer another question. What exactly is the heterogenous outcome you want? What path do you desire with humanity? And how long has all of this been going on?” I quickly added, once more turning to Vir with a nod of approval that was quickly reciprocated on the AI’s part.
The emotions that followed were a mixed bag, with disappointment leading the way, followed by anger and frustration, then being capped off with a simple bout of frustration and anxiousness.
“If you wish to know of this outcome, then I believe it is best that you search for it yourself, Vanaran.” The interloper spoke bellowed out with a strange degree of malice. “Since you are unwilling to restore my sight, then I will be unable to fully answer your questions as this outcome will be dictated by the state of affairs on the world beneath my tomb, as you have so colorfully worded.”
It paused once more, which I took as a means of seeing if we’d falter with our own resolve, of perhaps breaking from the tension and acquiescing to its demands.
All of which we refused to do.
As the silence was once more interrupted by the interloper’s words.
“We both seek the same answers, Vanaran. You, with your desire for an answer as to my charted path towards a heterogenous future, and myself with my desire to see just how effectively that charted path can remain in motion despite the set of circumstances having been altered in ways I cannot say as a result of my lack of sight. So I offer a proposition.”
I took a huge breath, preparing to repeat what I have been for the better half of the conversation, but not before the interloper could get the first word out.
“Before you continue with your incessant desires to maintain a position of dominance within this conversation, answer me this: you were brought here by an errant signal, correct?” It spoke in a sing-song tone of voice, once more sending a chill down my spine as my gaze met Vir’s in an uncomfortable display of confusion.
“Vir, are you certain there are no active connections between the interloper and the rest of the moon’s facilities?” I spoke under a hushed breath.
“Yes. I’ve had thorough scans done of every micrometer of both its platform and any other non-organic augments it has on the inside and outside of its body. It’s clean, which could only mean…”
“It’s either a lucky guess, it planned this from the very beginning, or it has some sort of a contingency down there in case a situation such as the one that has clearly transpired on the moon comes to pass. I’m leaning towards the third option.” I muttered out, as we both once more stared in silence at the Interloper, who even now held more cards than I’d initially thought was even possible given the power dynamics at play.