Humans Don't Hibernate [Part 46/?] (Patreon)

“The more I think about this, the more the contingency hypothesis becomes the most likely out of any other reasoning.” Vir began, acknowledging what was admittedly just a spur of the moment guess on my part. “It’s the only way it would've known about the signal. The only way it could’ve viably guessed the reason why we’re here in the first place. There’s just no other conceivable explanation, other than perhaps the predictive modeling explanation, wherein out of every potential outcome, it decided that this was the most likely and thus prepared for this very specific eventuality. Which, of course, is highly unlikely.” The AI concluded without much fanfare.

“Contingency or not, we’re left with a very difficult set of options here.” I responded with a sigh. “Either we acknowledge the existence of the signal, and thus playing into its narrative and perhaps entering some interloper game. Or, we continue on our current course, giving it the stonewall treatment and attempting to push for an answer without acknowledging this instigative tangent. A tangent which, mind you, was clearly brought up so that we would pay attention to its attempt at bargaining with us.”

Vir nodded slowly. “I’ve noted that the conversation has been headed further and further down a path which favors this outcome. It seems to have understood that the restoration of its sight is a subject which we refuse to budge on. However, this new tangent seems to be inferring an entirely new bargain. One which I assume will be something related to the signal in question.”

“I don’t know if I want to hear out its bargain. I most certainly do not wish to participate in whatever games it's concocting, nor do I wish to stroke its ego by acknowledging that it has more cards to play than we initially assumed. By acknowledging the existence of the signal, I’m afraid we lessen our position.”

“Would it really?” Vir replied questioningly. “Because the way I see it, it’s the other way around. This is the first true instance in which the interloper has given us objective intelligence to work with, and not just something that’s merely anecdotal or impossible to fact-check. By acknowledging and admitting to its awareness of the signal, a provable and observable phenomenon, it has outed a vital piece of intelligence that whilst we lack the discrete context for, we now know is in some way attributable to the interloper.”

“Fair point, which leads me to consider a rather concerning point: if the interloper believes the divulgence of such an important piece of intelligence to be worth the wagering of us taking the bait… what exactly could it be planning? What does it consider to be worth it?” I began musing, in equal measures concerned and genuinely curious.

“There’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?” Vir responded instantly, cocking his head to the side for added effect.

“You’re suggesting we take the bait, to acknowledge the existence of the signal, and acknowledge our presence here partly being attributed to it? To see where it would go with that response?” I shot back, having to double check what would be effectively an entirely different course and direction.

“Correct. We don’t have much to lose regardless, as either way, I see us reaching an impasse should we keep pushing our hardline stonewalling tactics.” Vir stated firmly yet tactfully.

“I know, and we could very well run the risk of the damn thing going silent on us too. Because there’s one thing that I hate to admit… and that’s the fact that it has the benefit of time on its side.”

“I could think of other ways to coerce its cooperation.” Vir spoke with a darkness that was reflected with a momentary flash of his screenface towards something far more sinister. But just as quickly as both had manifested, so too did both the face and the tone that had accompanied it  disappear. “Though such tactics would be morally and ethically dubious, and the literature on it might not be fully applicable to the neurophysiological processes of an interloper brain.” The AI shrugged. “I wouldn’t want to induce a seizure that may or may not be possible to fully recover from after all.” Vir continued calmly.

The whole exchange left me feeling both wary, yet relieved in the span of a mere few seconds. I was glad Vir was as level headed as he was, because if he wasn’t… well, it was clear that this entire interrogation could’ve gone down a very different path.

“Well, regardless, I do think we’re both in agreement then.” I turned to Vir, asking for a final confirmation to this drastic shift in our approach.

To which the AI responded with a reassuring nod. “I have no qualms with it, and besides, the only downside to this from my end is that we may be inundated with junk data that might negatively hamper my ability to sift through anecdotes from intel. Which honestly, isn’t that much different from what we’ve been getting from it thus far.”

It was with that final confirmation that I turned my full attention back to the interloper, and began formulating a response. “I can neither corroborate nor dispute that assertion.” I began. “Our presence here is a multifactorial confluence of context-specific circumstances that goes beyond one discrete instigating factor. To narrow down our purpose for being here to a single factor is to be reductive in interpreting the complexities of our own agency. Something which I can imagine to be difficult to accept, given your interactions are limited to those minds you have complete and unfettered access to.” I couldn’t help but to make a well-focused jab at the interloper, a passive aggressive one preempted  with diplomatic niceties that would make my noble family proud. “To that end, we acknowledge the presence of your signal.” I finally clarified. “I believe that’s the answer you were seeking, amongst the clarification of my purpose here being a result of more than the signal itself.”

I quickly turned towards Vir, who was more than likely tired of this whole song and dance now. “Send transmission.”

The emotional response came first, as we’d expected. Indignation led the way, followed by frustration, with a touch of anger, and strangely enough… calm, and something that could only be described as relief by the likes of Vir.

I set my sights of Vir, with a look that can only be described as disbelief crossed with my own dose of frustration. Frustration at how nonsensical the interloper’s emotions were at times.

“Very well.” Its filtered voice once more boomed through the bridge. “If that is truly the case, I foresee our paths crossing… at least for now, as we make our way towards a similar ends.” It continued cryptically, pausing for dramatic effect as it was prone to do, before continuing in the same sing-song voice it’d used to bring up the topic of the signal in the first place. “Vanaran, you you wish to learn of my goals for a heterogenous outcome, correct?”

It frustrated me to no end how it seemed to always talk in circles. How it never went anywhere. What’s worse, the word choice it used was telling. In that it never once asked or requested anything, but it simply assumed them to be the case.

“Correct.” I responded flatly, before turning to Vir. “Send transmission.”

“Then you will find the seeds of that outcome on the world beneath you.” It responded surprisingly quickly, almost instantaneously this time around. “The signal indicates that the seeds have survived this unexpected winter, however, in what state they remain is an enigma without my sight. My sight, which has become a matter of contention and a point of obstinance seemingly as a result of my kind’s treatment of your own, Vanaran.” I could practically feel the resentment coming through in a patronizing, almost belittling manner. “To that end, we both have but a single path ahead of us. A path which shall satisfy your curiosity, and which may allow you to learn in a manner clearly befitting your newfound philosophies.”

I wanted so desperately to yell at it to just be over with these silly riddles, with what felt like comments that were intentionally becoming vaguer and vaguer by the second.

“Of course, I am nothing if not empathetic. Without your gift, your time is now finite. Thus, I shall waste it no longer. My proposition is as follows, Vanaran: seek the truth which you so desperately seek, and in doing so reunite me with that which I have placed my faith unto. For on the planet you will find an individual, a being of one of the sapient species endemic to this world. Within them lies the fate of the heterogeneous outcome, and by extension, the fate which I have charted for us all. My kind, your kind, and indeed even the fate of humanity and their immortal children. The signal demonstrates that there is still hope for the future I have charted, and it shall serve as perhaps a means of introducing you to it in a manner untainted by my words.” The being paused once more for effect. “I understand your disdain for my kind, Vanaran. The removal of your gift is undeniable proof of that fact. It is reasonable to assume then, that any explanation of my intended outcome will be tainted with your predisposed biases against me. Thus, I urge you to seek the truth yourself on the planet below. Seek the individual which carries within them the proof to the fate which shall determine the course of our respective fates, and discern for yourself if I am worthy of redemption in your eyes.”

The end of that entire tirade left me stunned.

Neither Vir nor myself had anything to say for a solid few seconds as we both stared blankly at the creature front and center on all of our screens.

“What…” I managed out under a hushed breath, questioning the events of the past few minutes as I regarded Vir with an expression of utter disbelief.

“There’s a lot to unpack here. A shift in emotional context for one.” The AI pointed at the screen which still displayed the interloper’s emotional readings. “There, during its whole spiel, with the sole exception of the few jabs directed at you, it felt… hopeful. Hope, tempered by guilt, and a hint of desperation.” Vir explained, making sure to highlight each and every part of its lit-up brain in relation to the words in its speech.

“Hope… for a better future.” I muttered. “Or hope, that we might fall for some trap.” I quickly mused. “Or perhaps genuine hope, for a future that would benefit it. Or perhaps even, hope that would benefit everyone?”

“It could mean all of those things, or none of them.” Vir admitted. “The fact of the matter is, the insight behind these emotions are completely lost to us. We can only speculate, but… it’s at least a gauge that allows us to see that whatever it is down there, is important to it, to say the very least.”

“Context is vital here, and all we have are the raw words its putting out. The emotional readings are admittedly both an important aspect of this entire interrogation, yet also an instrument that may throw it all off. To that ends, I think that-”

It was in the midst of our back and forths that the interloper decided to chime in unexpectedly. A deep rumble stopped us both in our tracks, as our attentions turned from each other, to the being and its emotional readings.

“And should you find it in yourself capable of such charity, then return to me with the seed in hand.”

The emotion that accompanied this wasn’t confidence, nor frustration, nor anger or anything that would indicate a command.

Instead, it was once again hope, interrupted only by brief yet visible instances of guilt.