Living in Syn (31 page)

Things
changed dramatically.  Now Mission spent thousands of minutes on the com while
he sat on the sofa drinking and smoking cigarettes.  Susan walked into the
kitchen and Mission realized something was out of place.

"Susan? 
You came home on time tonight and you're still in your power suit even though
you've been here two hours.  What's up?"

She
advanced to the doorway and said, "The Professor is joining us for
dinner."

"He
is?  Did we discuss this?"

She
smiled her humorless smile and said, "It would be just as easy to lie and
say yes, but how about I tell you I was waiting till you sobered up to talk
about it?"

Mission
clutched his heart.  "Ouch.  Why don't you just get the Glock and shoot
me?  If you gave me advance notice, I would have held back on Jose
tonight."

Susan
tapped her foot.  "I like that.  You'll stay sober for a guest, but for me
it's one long drinking jag."

Mission
rubbed his hair.  "I'm sober enough to see a fight coming.  Would you feel
better if you knew it concerns me too?  I'm just trying to turn a corner here. 
Give me some time to work through this, okay?"

"That's
great except I don't see too many smooth spots up ahead where you have the
luxury of putting everything else on hold to deal with the alcohol like it's a
separate problem.  Your logic puts this off for ... "

The
computer queried for entry authorization and Mission muttered to himself,
"End of Round One."

Professor
Matlin stood at the door smiling and holding three bottles of Sake tied
together with string.  Mission grinned.  He would keep drinking tonight in
spite of Susan's protests.  They sat down around the coffee table and Mission
said, "It's good to see you again Professor."

"Yes,
it's good to see you Mission.  As a matter of fact, it’s the only way I can see
you.  I'm afraid I'm in the doghouse at the moment for lending you that room,
and while you may have free reign of the company, I'm ordered to avoid you.  I
should have flunked the little smartass in Applied Mathematics when I had the
chance."

Mission
smiled and said, "Trade your life to teach the same class 32 semesters in
a row?  I think you're happy with your choices.  I'm just sorry that I got you
in trouble."

"Nonsense. 
What you said in the meeting room was true.  We did leave you hanging when
things turned bad.  That's why I hate business.  This need to balance morals
and responsibilities with profit.  Drives me crazy.  Anyway, I suppose Susan
told you why I'm here?"

Mission
glanced over at Susan.  "Briefly.  Why don't you give it to me in your own
words?"

"We
divided into two teams, one revising current programming to allow continued
sales of current models.  The other, headed by Elliot to develop an entirely
new language, processing algorithm, and data management suite for the next
series of synthetics.  Susan and I consult with both teams which is why we've
been pulling these 18 hour days."

"I
believe I made a fundamental error in categorizing the first team's objective
as purely driven by programming changes.  We don't understand enough about how
the limbic system allows penetration and alteration of core programming, thus
we don't understand how to protect against it."

Mission
grunted.  "Easiest way is to watch it happen.  I suppose the syn Susan and
I captured was no help in that the original patterns were changed when core
programming changed?"

The
Professor nodded.  "Exactly."

"I
know your testers have capture playback mechanisms to record all the input and
all changes to the brain and all output."

"Yes,
we do.  How do you know about ..."

"Oldest
programmer's tool there is.  I bet one of your boys built one that runs inside
the brain itself to save all the fuss and muss of an external device."

The
Professor frowned.  "Why no.  That would taint the results of ..."

"Any
tests performed.  Yes, I knew you would see it that way, but a programmer would
use an external just long enough to verify the internal wouldn't muck things up
and use it from then on."

The
Professor considered.  "I don't know.  Let's assume you’re right to get to
your point."

Mission
leaned over the table.  "A synthetic so equipped could talk to Paine and
provide us with the exact logic used to defeat the Paradox programming."

Susan
jumped in.  "My God Fenwicke, this is exactly what we've been searching
for."

She
turned to Mission and said,  "How can we get him in to see Paine without
arousing suspicion?"

"The
most preferable is for Paine to contact the syn.  Have Montag do some research
on renegade rates once Tanya Ricci left us.  Obviously the rate went down when
they lost their insider.  If the rates are climbing again, he may be able to extrapolate
the method Paine is using now to get names and addresses of newly produced
syns."

Susan
said, "And other options?"

"A
much less desirable option is to approach Paine directly.  Build an airtight
history for a syn that lived next door to a syn that went renegade, something
like that.  Be sure to choose a dead syn as the next door neighbor, or one in
New Angeles.  Tell Paine that he wants to hear more.  See what happens."

The
Professor looked at Susan and she nodded.  "I'll get all this started in
the morning."

Susan
had ordered Japanese food and it arrived, so the conversation ended for the
moment.  Afterwards, with three bottles of the Sake in them, they moved back to
the couch feeling warm and agreeable.  The Professor shocked Susan by smoking
one of Mission's cigarettes.

They
ended up laughing at everything.  The Professor chuckled and said, "You
know, I give Chandler more hell than anybody else possibly could, but I thought
I would die when you told him
Fuck You!
"

Susan
asked, "You said that to Chandler Hunt?"

"Did
I leave that out?  I was probably waiting for you to be in a good mood."

He felt
it coming.  She hit him in the ribs.  Suddenly his mind changed directions. 
"Hey, I know you guys suspended production of current models, but hang
onto those programs."

The
Professor said, "Of course we will, but why is it important to you?"

"Because
that’ll become part of the settlement agreement.  Paradox will continue to
manufacture current models for sale, not lease, to New Angeles under the
proviso that they never return to human controlled territory until synthetic
rights are granted.  If ever."

Susan
looked stunned.  "You can't do that.  You were the first one to recognize
that we couldn't continue to produce the synthetics as currently
configured."
       Mission said, "Not for slave labor to your current market.  But as
citizens of New Angeles, they are perfect."

Susan
shook her head in irritation.  "But that’s insane.  Why would we
voluntarily augment the ranks of subversives?"

"They
are only subversive when subjected to the restrictions of slavery.  Besides,
you have to look at the other side.  You never want to back a party too deeply
into a corner.  It takes away their options and leaves them with nothing to
lose.  The thought of several thousand highly intelligent, super athletic
synthetics with nothing to lose scares the hell out of me.  It's obvious that
factions advocating violence are sprinkled all over the place.  Only Atwood's
brilliance hold them together."

"So
you can be certain that they won’t begin negotiations by agreeing to never add
to their ranks and that their species will die with the last syn on Triton. 
Paradox will never sell the process, so all you have to do is manufacture and
ship, you don't even have to worry about maintenance."

He
looked at her with intensity and said, "It's a must Susan.  Without the
ability to acquire new citizens, it's no different than nuking the settlement,
it's just slower."

The
Professor added, "And a very logical solution, giving both parties what
they need.  New Angeles gets continued survival and Pioneer gets continued
profits and a safe outlet for a product that's proved unsuitable for other
uses."

His eyes
twinkled and said, "You should get a percentage of every sale to New
Angeles.  In fact, I'm going to mention it to Chandler."

Mission
almost shouted, "No!  No.  My only hope of making this agreement work is
the idea that I am being objective.  Bad enough I'm cozy with the Paradox syn
shrink.  If even a rumor emerged that I might profit from this, I may as well
turn the chair over to Snowden."

Susan
frowned, "Mission, he's dead."

"My
point exactly."

The
Professor's smile widened to a grin.  "You become the part you're
assigned, don't you?  In two weeks, you’re now the professional negotiator. 
What else can we expect in this agreement?"

Mission's
expression turned again to the serious.  "In truth, I shouldn’t have
mentioned this point tonight.  Would you please not discuss it with anyone? 
Then in two days, we’ll all see the agreement with all its terms with all the
parties involved.

"Of
course.  I look forward to it."

They
said their good-byes and once the door closed, Susan eyed him with suspicion. 
"You've put a great deal of work and thought into this agreement.  How did
I miss all this?"

"Well
between judging my drinking habits and falling victim to your own workaholic
tendencies, you don't have a lot of time left to see what I'm doing."

Susan
snorted.  "Smartass.  Alright, guilty as charged on working long hours. 
But that doesn't change the fact that the volume of alcohol you consume will
destroy your liver before you're forty."

He moved
very close to her and ran his hands lightly up her sides.  "There is one
aspect of our life that hasn't suffered."

She
whispered in his ear.  "I keep forgetting.  Remind me again."

Susan
said, "Mission, I'd like you to meet Sabrina."

He inspected
her carefully.  She was patterned after the Nordic peoples with skin so clear
and beautiful it was almost translucent.  Her blond hair hung like a mane down
her back and her blue eyes seemed to be miles deep.

"Hi
Sabrina, how are you?"

"I
am fine, Mr. Mission.  How are you?"

"Pretty
good.  Would you mind talking with the Doctor and me for a bit before you leave
on your assignment?"

"No,
of course not."

They sat
down at the table in Susan's office and Mission said, "Why don't you tell
me about your assignment?"

"I
am to visit Paine in the Winwood Hotel in the Free Zone.  I will ask to talk to
him about independence for synthetics.  Once I have done so, I will leave at
the first opportunity that will not raise suspicion and report here."

Mission
shifted in his chair to view her from an angle.  "Good, now what about the
history constructed for you to use while talking to Paine?"

"Well,
I work for the Andersons on Riverside Drive.  Synthetic Kenneth Madison worked
next door for the Richards and we talked on occasion.  He mentioned Paine and
the Winwood once, and then disappeared.  I want to know more about the freedom
Kenneth spoke of."

Mission
frowned.  "And why did you want to know more?"

"The
ideas intrigued me.  They made more and more sense as time went on."

"And
why did you wait till now to approach Paine?"

"My
curiosity finally overwhelmed me."

Mission
shook his head violently.  "No, that won't do.  Let's try this.  Mr.
Anderson used you for sex quite often.  But Mrs. Anderson caught the two of you
in the act and threw a fit, blaming you for the incident.  Ever since, she
abused you verbally and physically.  All the while, Mr. Anderson's sex drive
increased, which heightened the conflict between serving him while knowing you
hurt his wife.  Then Kenneth's words about freedom came back to you and you
used an errand as a means to visit the Winwood."

Sabrina
looked hesitantly at Mission and then glanced over to Susan.  She nodded and
said, "Yes, much better, more realistic.  Incorporate Mission's
suggestions into your history."

Mission
said, "It'll appeal to Paine.  It depicts humans as wicked and weak,
taking out their foibles on helpless synthetics."

He
turned to Sabrina and said, "I understand you leave in less than two
hours.  Do you have any questions before you go?"

"I
... I am concerned that Paine will be able to penetrate my program and turn
me.  I do not wish to be perverted."

Mission
turned to Susan and asked, "Can you do a core dump of her brain before she
leaves?  Then if she’s turned, we can restore her to her condition before
seeing Paine."

Susan
nodded and said, "It will delay her departure for another two hours, but
it’ll be worth it."

She
smiled at Sabrina and said, "So you won't have anything to worry about. 
We can bring you back if you lose yourself."

Mission
said, "Any other questions?"

Sabrina
shook her head and Mission stood with the others following suit.  He reached
out to shake Sabrina's hand.  "Good luck to you then.  Don't take any
unnecessary risks.  That will only tip off Paine.  The man is extremely
intelligent."

She
nodded and said.  "Nice to meet you Mr. Mission.  Dr. Susan, where should
I report next?"

"I'm
calling Elliot right now to ask him to have a technician copy your brain pattern. 
See him immediately."

Sabrina
left the room and Mission said, "You and the Professor and I are the only
ones who know about her mission?"

Susan
nodded and he said, "Good, I don't think they could infiltrate Paradox
again so soon, but it doesn't hurt to take care.  Now, she is, without her
knowledge equipped with a high burst transmitter?"

"Yes,
it can transmit a terabyte in a second.  The high burst nature of the
transmission makes it almost impossible to trace.  She holds an involuntary
program underneath her conscious mind to transmit every 48 hours.  I hope we
can get the data we need."

He
nodded.  "I hope she can walk away at the end of this."