Living the Song

It's the end of the world as we know it

Thanks to my editor kenjisato. Also, to LanguageTool. Combined, they put me right. Any problems left all belong to me.

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We were dead. But we got better. While the world celebrated our return from the Bermuda Triangle, being gone for over three years had got most of us declared dead. As I was employed by the cruise line at the time, my movie career was not much affected. As Filipe knows how resourceful I am, he was in no hurry to declare me dead. Also, so many died, or went missing when it hit, that there was still congestion in the courts. Thus, I only had to deal with being 'found' after several years of absence. Most of the people on the ship, however, were declared to be dead, and the ship declared lost at sea.

When I heard that much of the crew was having difficulty dealing with this, I hired a team of lawyers to assist them, and also provided an advance on any award they got, so that they could have something to live on. Being an advance that they would have to repay from their award, I figured they wouldn't waste it.

Even as I was looking out for my fellow crew-members, I was getting a lot of interview time, since I spent so much time off the ship. While I didn't mention getting a saber-tooth companion, I did show selected pictures of her. I also described learning to ride a mammoth. When I could, I also mentioned that I learned how to have sex while riding a mammoth. With all the ecological damage around the gulf, I took my blessed sand and found places to spread it and renew the land, as I traveled for the interviews. By the time I was done, I had spread all of it.

It took nearly four months before my life settled down, and I could focus on things closer to home. Inanna came through with a blowout orgy to welcome me back, hosted by Jewel and Angel. During that time, I also clued in John and Sally Maxwell to what I had learned of the Atlanteans. They were skeptical, until I told them of the drone I had come back with. Then I floored them with my plans to reproduce it.

At six months, my agent was able to get me work as a fight choreographer for a martial arts film, so I put the droid on hold. The main actors doing the fighting were knowledgeable, so I was able to get them to do some spectacular moves on screen. I also pulled in Inanna's power of war to aid them in their fighting. The director even decided the villain needed some help, and asked me to be an extra. I got to play an ogre and I was a hired gun for the bad guy. I used my size and strength to my advantage, but played it slow.

No one noticed I was lifting too much, nor that when I should be unbalanced, I was not. I like to think that it was because I could make my movements very fluid and perfect since I had the time. I wore light armor, and used a great bow that was as tall as I was. When I spoke, it was in the divine form of Chinese I had been tutored with, and I even managed to add a suitable accent. The armor hid the fact I was female, as did my lowered voice. The mask and wig meant I didn't spend much time in makeup.

In time, shooting was over, and I got laid a few times at the wrap party. A week later, the settlement for the cruise came through, favorably. While it was only six months pay for the three years, it came with full counseling. I went in, like all the others, but was told after a month, that I didn't need it. It seems my previous experiences in the Third World meant I never went bonkers. Others weren't so lucky. The Captain retired, as he lost it after being found. When the stress let off, he fell apart. I hear he's getting beached, and taking a back-office job at the company, by his own request.

I expanded my secret underground room, using Alec's designs. I wanted to make a small shop where I could create parts, and study the drone. I filled it with a lot of tools, and also a large Powerwall. This would be slowly charged over the day to hide my use of power down here. Once fully equipped with suitable power tools, and additional ventilation, I brought the drone down here to study and reproduce. I would use my earth sense the most, as I scanned the drone. I wanted to reproduce each and every part, and Alec would record the part's specs on the computer. After each part, I inquired of the drone what part number was associated with it, back in Atlantis. The numbering system was odd, but we could adapt. I also asked it to verify each part was the right shape, and of sufficient quality and tolerance. After getting approval, I made additional duplicates.

With the work I got in films, I needed nearly a year before I had all the needed parts duplicated. The hardest part was the power supply, as it did not operate under the principles of electric equipment that I knew. But then, I didn't need to understand it, only reproduce it. I also reproduced the solar blanket used for charging. The hardest part would have been the brains, but apparently it was capable of crafting a new one, given suitable supplies. But before I allowed that, I had one significant check to make.

I asked Isis to watch over me, as I felt technology was more her field that Inanna's. When she agreed, I went to my craft shop, with the drone, and meditated. First, I cleared my thoughts, to prepare. Then I sought out its intelligence. I knew it would be strange, and I would likely not understand it, but I hoped to get a sense of how it was designed. Isis was monitoring me as I did this, in case something went wrong.

Once I had contact, it was as bad as I expected. But I let my mind flow about in this unusual intelligence for an hour, before I started commanding the drone. I started with simple commands, like 'Face the door', 'Lift the block', and so on. I used this to learn what area of its mind did what, so that my own mind could understand it. I broke off after several hours, as it was tiring. I felt this would take a while to accomplish, so I spent some time studying our own efforts at AI, so I would have a better understanding of how it worked. I was not trying to create one, merely trying to understand if the drone's intelligence had safeguards or hidden objectives.

Isis was kind enough to monitor me for the two weeks I spent trying to understand it. I offered a like amount of time helping her with her new worshipers. My study was so intense, I even had a few dreams about that mind. In the end, I felt that the creators of this intelligence were benevolent, and had the needed safeguards in place, and that it would be safe to unleash it on an unsuspecting world. Still, I didn't want Skynet.

Once I felt it was safe, I had it assemble a new drone from the parts I had made, and activate the new drone. I controlled this new drone using a wireless internet connection. Once complete, I had it run full diagnostics on itself, then I had the original drone run its own checks to verify everything was correct. The final task was for the new drone to assemble a third one, and have it pass all the checks. As I had enough parts for ten drones, I could have done more, but instead, decided to call it a success.

I was almost ready to introduce this to the world. But not just yet, since I wanted to lock the patent up, before licensing the heck out of it. So I put out a call to Tex, from Red Horizons. It took a few days to track him down, as he had retired, but I finally connected.

"Hey, Tex. It's your old friend Becky Sue."

"Howdy, ma'am. What can this cowboy do for you?"

"Well... have you heard about my last sea-cruise adventure?"

"Oh yeah. My wife followed your story, and I got to learn all about it over dinner, over lunch, and so on."

"Oh my!"

"That's okay. I won't admit it to her, but I was very interested in your story. Imagine, discovering a hollow world! What wonders you must have found."

"That's why I'm calling. I brought a little bit back."

"Oh? Anything interesting?"

"If you followed my news, surely you heard of the Atlantean Lightning Ball?"

"Yes, although who knows what it really was."

"Actually, I do, since I created it."

I heard glass breaking in the background, followed by some cursing about dropping his beer, before Tex said, "WHAT?"

"You heard me."

"That thing was supposed to cross dimensions, and brought the ship back from wherever the Bermuda Triangle sent it. Scientists the world over would kill for the knowledge of how to do that."

"So I assumed. But it is a dangerous knowledge. Not of the physics, but of the culture. How would people use it? What might we poke that doesn't like being poked? Could we be opening ourselves up to attack from something we know nothing of? I don't think mankind is ready for that."

"Damn, woman, you are so right. We aren't ready. So, if you didn't call about that, what did you call about?"

"I brought back a little robotic sidekick. One I want to manufacture and sell."

"A robot? None of the news said anything about that."

"I kept it hidden."

"So, you need to take it apart and figure it out?"

"Nope."

"Nope?"

"Nope."

"Now you got my whiskers in a twist. Tell me everything."

"Using my special abilities, I studied it, and managed to reproduce it. Complete with plans for just about everything, but the brains. I am hesitant about them, as they could have a hidden agenda, or insufficient safeguards, so I would rather use a homegrown system. But all the mechanical bits work. I had the original assemble number two, and number two assembled number three. While they are operational, I don't want them unleashed as is."

"That's a whole lot for an actress to figure out."

"Not as much as you would expect. I didn't need to know why it worked, just how. I'll leave the why for others."

"Yeah, that lowers the bar a lot. So what can I do for you?"

"As you said, I am an actress. Manufacturing is a whole other herd of cattle, and I don't know squat about making it work. As I have a distant, but successful, relationship with Red Horizons, I expect I will have them do the actual work, but setting up things so I make a good profit, and keep control, will need lawyers, as well as technical experts, such as yourself. I want to hire you to write up the needed patents, and I'll get some good patent lawyers to get it patented. Then I'll hire or go into partnership with Red Horizons to make it. Interested?"

"You bet. When can you come for a visit?"

"I don't know. I need yet another lawyer to draw up a contract for us first. I am less concerned about the pay, as keeping it a secret until it is public knowledge."

"I understand. Think it will be anytime soon?"

"I am sure it will be within the month. Finding good lawyers is always hard."

"Yeah, but the good ones are worth their pay."

"I know. I'll call when I have things set up."

"Okay. Goodbye."

My first task was to hire a scout. I needed a good law firm, but I didn't know this field, so I hired a local medium-priced firm to find out who to hire. I wanted several names, and why they were good. Once I had their names, I checked each one out. I spent time near them, and used my ability to read people to determine their honesty, morals, and such, then I arranged to bump into them, accidentally on purpose. Some I met in a bar, one at a golf course, and one in a museum. Two didn't seem right, and of the rest, I thought the museum guy was the best. So I asked to meet him, formally.

When I entered his office, I met the receptionist, and said, "Hello. I am here to meet Mister Kent."

"He is busy right now. Can I take your information, and I can have him call back when he is available?"

"I am Ms. Smith. I have a three o'clock appointment."

"Oh, I didn't expect you quite this early."

"I know the appointment isn't for another thirty minutes, but I wanted to get the lay of the land."

"Sure thing. Let me show you about, for a few minutes, so you can see the kinds of things he does."

I let her take me to several conference rooms, including one with a rather extensive library. She left me here, as I expressed interest in the books. She said Mr. Kent would be with me in a short while. A few minutes later, I was looking out the fourth-floor window, when he came in.

"Hello, Ms. Smith. What can I do for you?"

"My real name is Becky Sue Tate. I am an actress, but have come here about some technological things."

"I take it you don't want people to know you are here?"

"Not for the time being. Once things are moving acceptably, it will no longer matter."

"I see. So, what can I help you with?"

"First, I want to ensure confidentiality, by a simple contract. Second, I would like to meet you behind closed doors, to prevent leaks."

"The latter is easy enough, but I am not sure about the former. I would need to read the contract first."

"I know." I reached into the notebook I was carrying, and pulled out a single page, and handed it to him.

"Wow, no small print. Let me take a few minutes to look it over."

"Sure thing." I doubted it would take that long, as the agreement was quite simple, and clearly expressed.

A very short time later, he said, "This is simple enough. We can execute this right now, if you want."

"I do."

We went to a room with several paralegals working, and went to one, and he had him witness our signing and my payment of a retainer. Then we went to his office, and he said, "Please, no interruptions for the next hour." His aide nodded, as he closed the door.

"So tell me, what's all the secrecy about?"

"Atlantean technology."

"Really?"

"Yes. You may have heard about the cruise ship that came back from the Triangle?"

"I did."

"Well, that was courtesy of Atlantean tech. I am not going to disclose any secrets about that particular tech, but I did bring home some other tech that I want to patent and make a lot of money from. For that, I need a good lawyer, and my research indicates you fit the bill."

"I see. So, you think you can duplicate it?"

"I already have, but I am not in the manufacturing business. I know people who are, and I plan on giving them first dibs, but before that, I need to secure the technology. That means the patent office, and more, and is where you come in."

"Yes, I can definitely offer this service, but it is not covered by the agreement we just signed."

"I didn't expect it to be. That agreement is to keep all this secret. I want to hire you to get an ironclad patent or patents to the technology I am providing. I already have a technologist ready to write everything up. I will want a contract for him, as well. He is a friend, so make it secure, not punishing."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't expect any difficulties from him. I plan to pay him well for the effort, but I want to be sure I retain all rights, even though he writes up all the technical stuff."

As he was thinking about that, I added, "Oh, he's retired now, but he used to work for the company I want to work with. Will that be a problem?"

"It should not be."

We talked some more, and he indicated he would send me our contract in a few days. Once that was signed, it should only take a few more days to make that second contract. We exchanged contact info, and in parting, he walked me to the office door, and saying, "It is nice doing business with you, Ms. Smith."

"Likewise, Mr. -"

"Please, outside the courtroom, I prefer a more informal atmosphere. Please call me Clark."

It wasn't until I was telling Filipe that I realized I had just hired Superman. Or at least, his namesake. Two weeks later, I was flying to see Tex, as he had signed his contract. I brought my flatpack with drone number two, and three sets of parts. I had disguised it as a briefcase, that I carried on the plane. I rented a small box truck, and on the way, I stopped to unpack and fill it with my stuff. This way, I didn't have to explain how I traveled so lightly, but had so much stuff.

When I arrived, he met me outside. "A truck? I was not expecting that."

"Well, I brought a lot of stuff, but didn't want to explain everything."

"That'll do it. So, you need help bringing this stuff in?"

"Perhaps later. For now, why don't we relax a bit over a beer, and I can show you the essentials."

"Then follow me."

"In a moment." I then rushed to the passenger side, and tossed a blanket over the drone and charger, and carried it out.

"What's that?"

"My first sample. Let's get inside where we can keep secrets."

"Well, if it's secret, then let's head for the dungeon, I mean basement. She won't come down there unless I call her."

"I'll follow you."

So, he led the way, and once in the basement, I put my burden on the floor. Tex went to a small fridge, and pulled out some beers, and handed me a cold one.

"Get yourself comfortable, and spill. I am dying of curiosity."

I reached over, and removed the blanket. Then I collected the solar charger and control bracelet. I sat back down, and tapped a few buttons, and said, "Stand before me." Suddenly, the drone's light came on, it then turned to me, and then came to me, moving around the couch so it could stand in front of me.

"How do you like that?"

"Slick, but nothing we can't already do."

"I see. You want something special, huh?" I tapped some keys, and said, "Bring me another beer, and open it."

We watched as it turned in a full three-sixty, then headed over to the fridge. It stopped a moment, then pulled it open by the handle, scanned inside, found a beer, and brought it to me. It closed the door before turning away from the fridge, and when it stood in front of me, it carefully opened the beer without accident, then handed it to me. It held on until I pulled it from its grasp.

"Much better. Definitely something new, but a lot of that is the AI. Still, the mechanicals seem quite adept."

"Do you have something broken down here, that needs to be repaired? Or better yet, tuned up?"

"Let me think... I remember, I have an old blender that stopped working a while ago. Now, where is it?"

"Don't bother telling me. In a moment, I want you to describe it." I tapped buttons, then nodded. Tex described it, and I tapped more buttons, and the drone scanned, then moved right to where it was, and proceeded to extract it. It then located a clear space on the floor, and carefully took it apart, cleaning everything, then put it all back together. Then it presented the unit to Tex.

"Go ahead, Tex, take it and give it a test."

He headed over to the laundry area, and filled it with water partway, then set it down. He plugged it in, and turned on the switch. It whirred as expected, and stopped when he pushed the stop button. He unplugged it, and said, "Well, damn. We ain't got nothing like that. Not just the smarts to figure it all out, but also the physical ability to repair it."

"It can do more than repair. Given the right parts, it can duplicate itself."

"A real Von Neumann machine, eh?"

"What's that?"

"Never mind. So what do you want me to do?"

"I want to patent everything about it that's worth patenting, and I want you to write it all up. I'll pay you plenty, so don't worry about that. Can you do that? Will you?"

"I'm gonna need to see everything."

"I brought three sets of parts, including the control bracelet, and the solar charger. I expect we will need to adjust things so it can use standard power, but that is a manufacturing problem." We spoke for an hour, before I left for the motel.

The next day, I let him drive the truck to a rented warehouse, and we set up there. Over the next two weeks, I showed him everything, and he wrote everything up. When all was ready, he had written up over forty patents. I was rather surprised, but he just said there was so much in this that was new. He also said this would revolutionize industry, not just his industry.

I left after packing up the truck. On the way to the rental at the airport, I repacked everything in the flatpack. After arriving home, I contacted the Mr. Kent, and we met a few days later. When I presented the write-up, he was conflicted. There was quite a lot of work to do, but there would be a correspondingly large payoff.