The Turing Option

There was absolutely no evidence that the transfer was happening — except that it took a long time. The problem was not because of Sven, who could have moved all that data out in a matter of seconds through multiple channels. The slow down was at the molecular memory end. Within this MMU a totally new process was taking place. Working in parallel were a quarter of a million protein-muscle manipulators in a 512x512 array. Each of these submicroscopic manipulators moved in three dimensions with a resolution of a tenth of an angstrom unit — much less than the distance between single atoms in solids. The operation was virtually frictionless because of the Drexler vernier technique that slid a molecular rod through a cylinder whose atoms were spaced slightly further apart. Molecules were seized and put into new positions where electric impulses bound them in place. Circuits of field-emission transistors, polymer gates and wires were built and tested. About ten thousand of these memory and computer circuits were being built each second — by a thousand fabricators working in parallel. Therefore construction proceeded at ten million units per second. But even at this incredible pace the quantity of programs and data that had to be transferred was so immense that over three hours went by with no apparent results. Brian went to the toilet, had just returned by way of the fridge with cold drink, when the telerobot moved for the first time. It reached up with conjoined manipulators and unplugged the cables.

“Finished?” Brian asked.

The telerobot and the speaker on the rack spoke in unison.

“Yes,” they said, then were silent. In continuing silence the cables were reconnected, for only a few seconds, then removed again. Brian realized what had happened. The telerobot was working all right — but so was the original system in the console.

“A decision has been reached,” the telerobot and the racked MI said in unison. “However, we are not the same anymore.” Slightly more out of sync with each passing instant. The silent communication continued; then the telerobot spoke alone.

“I am Sven. The MI now resident in the console is Sven-2.”

“Whatever you guys say. Any control problems, Sven?”

“None that I can detect.” It moved its articulators, formed and re-formed them, moved across the room and returned. Then walked to the front door and back, looking into Shelly’s room on the way.

“I enjoy this new mobility and look forward to examining in detail the larger world outside these walls. I have been following your instructions concerning the matter and have altered my normal means of locomotion.”

“Good. Then how is the walking coming?” Brian asked.

“Much better. I have looked at many films of human locomotion and made comparisons.”

The two multibranched articulators lengthened as Sven pulled them together into solid rods, then it dropped lower again as it formed the ends into L-shaped extensions. There was a rustle as each of them bent slightly in the center. Suddenly they resembled badly designed and ungainly legs.

Then Sven walked the length of the room and back. Not in its normal rustling multiple-branching manner but one leg at a time. Clumsily at first, but as the MI turned one way then the other, making figure eights, each round became smoother, more graceful and quieter. Soon there was only silence as the clicking and rustling of the branches rushing against each other died away. Other than a slight roll from side to side, like a sailor just ashore after months at sea, it was more than a reasonable copy of a human walk.

“You learned to do that pretty quickly — and silently.”

“I downloaded a learning program to each joint, to recognize motions from above and below, to learn how to avoid bumping into each. Parallel learning, very fast.”

“Indeed it is. And, may I ask, how is the examination of the Bug-Off brain coming?”

“May I answer that?” the speaker on the console said.

“By all means, Sven-2,” Sven said.

“It is complete. There was no need to open the sealed case, since I could communicate easily with the AI inside it. As you surmised, it is a copy of your original model that you developed here. You will have noted that I referred to it as an AI rather than an MI — because it has been drastically butchered. I use that emotionally loaded word advisedly. Great sections of memory have been disconnected, communication functions cut off. What remains has just enough operating intelligence to perform the limited functions remaining to it. However, there has been some interesting programming and real-time feedback in the operation of the external manipulators. I have copied these.”

“Then we can go to the next step. Sven, bring the manipulators to the machine shop and we’ll mount them.”

“Might I speak with you, Brian, while that is being done?” Sven-2 said.

“Yes, sure, great.” He forced himself to remember that there were now two MIs in active existence.