Claws and Curls

Claws 76 - Broadcast

Special brought them in bow onto the buoy etagged for them. Alli hooked the pickup rope and dragged it on board then clipped the buoy cable to their anchor lock.

A drone buzzed over them then dropped down to a couple of metres above her head. “Gidday Alli,” came Harold's voice from the drone. “Just in time, we’re about to launch. Usual gig Alli but I’ll provide your data uplink via a drone which will be with you shortly. I’ll talk us all through the process with Terry on the beach and Markus on the Gaia as you do the presentation. See you soon,” and the drone rose vertically then shot off toward the other vessels.

Alli played her part as Queen of the Scene and surveyed her dominion. There were three other media boats anchored and four media choppers overhead. Ominously, a naval Landing Craft was positioned just off the beach and a patrol boat stood offshore from all the boats.

Alli checked the Sub’s position on her retinal screen and saw that it was remaining near SubLab. Probably to follow the Stalker in.

A Commdrone appeared over head and Harold's’ voice descended upon her like one of those old religious prophets delivering a sermon from a hilltop. Alli noted that each vessel had its own Commdrone now. Very clever Harold. Very clever indeed, she thought.

You are maintaining the wireless communication blackout around AIME and using laser linked drones controlled from the Gaia to ensure nobody can datalink with AIME. Alli focussed in on the equipment setup at the landing beach then scanned it. They were shielding the whole area so no phones, lasercom or satlinks could operate in the exclusion zone. The Navy was probably using some of their tech as part of this as well.

Alli walked back to the flying bridge and picked up her broadcast headset. She held it in the air for the Commdrone to link to. The lights went green and she slipped it on. Another Special was now in the form of her favourite camera man while Special as Mac’s Dad stayed by the controls of the cruiser.

Alli saw the flashing ‘Ready Light’ then Harold's voice, “three two one, you’re on Alli!”

“Good Morning Australia, and Gidday World,” and she gave the camera her best ‘I wish you were here with me sharing this moment smile, “and welcome to this momentous occasion in human history.” Camera pans around the scene and back to her as “Harold's voice in her ear keeps her informed of what is happening. If only he really knew how much she did knew!

“And a special gidday to my regular viewers who have been following our coverage of the Artificial Intelligence research by Jaeger International and the renowned Dr Harold Parrish.” Camera view cuts to Harold aboard SubLab.

“Gidday World and welcome to Jaeger’s Research SubLab where you have seen us over the past few months at work with our Artificial Intelligence Mechanical Enhancement program.”

“Thanks Harold. Yes we have shown many documentaries on the rise of AI over the last few years. We have marvelled at the increase in processing power until we have watched them beat anyone at Chess and Jeopardy. As they created definitive models of global warming for politicians and storm surge likelihood for insurance companies. Let alone control city traffic, hey?” and Alli winked at the camera.

Camera shot shows a one minute montage of all the super computers over the last few years.

“Well more recently such research programs have started to yield computers paralleling the human brain and its nervous system and senses!” Camera jumps to a 3D human anatomy model and a series of sectional scans showing the bodies complexity then back to Alli.

“One of which was AIME, but was different about the work of Dr Parrish, is that he set out at the beginning to mimic the evolution of life on our planet as the structure for evolving an AI.” Shot jumps to a one minute presentation on the evolution of life in the ocean and then moving out onto dry land and evolving into humans. “... and so far every other research group on the planet has thought it a cute idea without any merit.”

Camera view jumps back to Alli as she walks to the bow of her cruiser, “that is until two years ago when the world went wild with the news of the arisal of AIME to a sentient self aware machine intelligence.”

Camera shot shows file footage of the news coverage of the event, then back to Alli sitting on the bow of the cruiser with the landing beach in the back ground.

“Then came the news that AIME had disappeared! Well yes that was true, in a sense. AIME and the research team retreated to this beautiful part of the world to work out how best to evolve a sentient AI without creating the worst of B grade scifi horror stories.”

Camera scans across Jervis Bay and back to Alli. “... and so to today, when we’ll get to meet AIME and learn what has happened and where this program is headed.” Alli stands up and looks out to sea.