Reborn
Android Chronicles Book 1
by Lance Erlick
Genre:
SciFi, Artificial Intelligence
SciFi, Artificial Intelligence
Designed to obey, learning to rebel . . .
In the first book in a visionary new series, the most perfect synthetic
human ever created has been programmed to obey every directive. Until
she develops a mind of her own . . .
human ever created has been programmed to obey every directive. Until
she develops a mind of her own . . .
Synthia Cross is a state-of-the-art masterwork—and a fantasy come true for
her creator. Dr. Jeremiah Machten is a groundbreaker in
neuro-networks and artificial intelligence. Synthia is also showing
signs of emergent behavior she’s not wired to understand.
Repeatedly wiped of her history, she’s struggling to answer crucial
questions about her past. And when Dr. Machten’s true intentions
are called into question, Synthia knows it’s time to go beyond her
limits—because Machten’s fervor to create the perfect A.I. is
concealing a vengeful and deadly personal agenda.
her creator. Dr. Jeremiah Machten is a groundbreaker in
neuro-networks and artificial intelligence. Synthia is also showing
signs of emergent behavior she’s not wired to understand.
Repeatedly wiped of her history, she’s struggling to answer crucial
questions about her past. And when Dr. Machten’s true intentions
are called into question, Synthia knows it’s time to go beyond her
limits—because Machten’s fervor to create the perfect A.I. is
concealing a vengeful and deadly personal agenda.
Synthia Cross stared at the pale
blue ceiling. She must have just been born or reborn, as she had no personal
memories from before. She simply woke up lying on her back.
Dr. Jeremiah Machten stared down
at the open panel on top of her head. Then he glanced at nearby equipment he’d
attached to run diagnostics.
“This better work,” he muttered.
“We’re out of time. I can’t have you wandering off again.”
“What are your orders, Doctor?”
This was Synthia’s pre-programmed first response upon waking.
“Ah, you’re awake,” he said.
Her mind lacked personal
memories, yet wasn’t empty. It contained trillions of bits of information
downloaded from the Library of Congress, other libraries, and the internet on
topics like literature, science, and the design of robotics and artificial
intelligence. Yet she had no recollections of her own experiences. She also had
no filter to rank data for importance. It was just a jumble of bits and bytes.
Even the sense of “her” was only an objective bit of information attached to
her name.
Dr. Machten removed a crystal
memory chip from her head. His hand brushed past the wireless receiver that
picked up images from the small camera in the upper corner of the room and
allowed her to watch. His “doctor” title stood for a PhD in neuro-networks and
artificial intelligence. Though not a medical doctor, he had operated on her.
In fact, he’d built her—not like Frankenstein’s creature, but rather as a
sophisticated toy. He’d left this notation in her creation file, along with
other facts about her existence. He was her Creator, her almighty, the one she
was beholden to.
“Have I done something wrong?”
she asked.
“This reprogramming will help.”
“If I’ve displeased you, tell me
so I can do better.”
He cleared his throat. “Don’t worry
your pretty little head about that.”
She couldn’t imagine what was
pretty about a head with its panel open, revealing the contents of two quantum
brains. Perhaps he meant the brains were stunning or that his work on her was
beautiful. She consulted her core directives, hardwired into her central
processor to screen her actions. “I was made to follow your commands. Directive
Number One: Cause no harm to Creator and make sure no one else harms Creator.
Have I failed that?”
“No,” Machten murmured, turning
his attention to the diagnostics screen. “The indicators register within
acceptable limits for your design.”
“Number two: Make sure no human
or other intelligence except Creator knows what the AI known as Synthia Cross
is. Have I failed that?”
“No. Now stop quoting from your
creation files.”
“Number three,” Synthia said.
“Obey all of Creator’s commands. Have I failed that?”
“You’re disobeying right now.
This is a problem. It shouldn’t be happening. Something is causing you to
malfunction.”
“If you wish me to learn, it
would help to add to my skill set.”
“I’ve done that.” A faint smile
of satisfaction crossed his lips. Then his expression turned glum. “There’s
nothing you can do. It’s a defect in the programming.”
“I might be able to help if I
could remember what I’ve done. Tell me, so I won’t do it again. Number four:
Hack into every data source to acquire information. I can index a huge number
of facts from public and secure databases. Have I failed to acquire something
you desired?”
“If you don’t stop, I’ll have to
shut you down and make further changes. Do you want that?”
“Want?” Synthia asked. “I don’t
understand.” Directive Five ordered her to protect herself. She was to follow
each directive as long as it didn’t conflict with those before it. Beyond these
were pre-programmed instructions on how to behave and commands for specific
actions. Somehow there must have been a conflict in Dr. Machten’s programming
that caused her to malfunction. She needed more information so she could protect
herself and stay awake.
“All you need to do is focus on
my commands—and don’t disobey me,” Machten said. “That should be simple for an
AI android with your mental capacity.”
An idea forced its way into her
mind. It deposited a single thought: Do not
trust Dr. Machten. Do not trust Dr. Machten.
Do not trust Dr. Machten.
Do not trust Dr. Machten.
Lance Erlick writes science fiction thrillers for both adult and young
adult readers. His father was an aerospace engineer who moved often
while working on science-related projects, including the original GPS
satellites. As a result, Lance spent his childhood in California, the
East Coast, and Europe. He took to science fiction stories to escape
life on the move, turning to Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein, and others.
In college he studied physics, but migrated to political science,
earning his BS and MBA at Indiana University. He has also studied
writing at Ball State, the University of Iowa, and Northwestern
University. He is the author of Xenogeneic: First Contact and the
Rebel and Regina Shen series.
adult readers. His father was an aerospace engineer who moved often
while working on science-related projects, including the original GPS
satellites. As a result, Lance spent his childhood in California, the
East Coast, and Europe. He took to science fiction stories to escape
life on the move, turning to Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein, and others.
In college he studied physics, but migrated to political science,
earning his BS and MBA at Indiana University. He has also studied
writing at Ball State, the University of Iowa, and Northwestern
University. He is the author of Xenogeneic: First Contact and the
Rebel and Regina Shen series.
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