Chapter 6

In my previous life I was a bit of a loner. Whoa ... I didn't realise I'm thinking of the first 18 years of my life as my previous one. I was a bit too smart, I liked reading a bit too much to really be accepted by the more athletic ones in my classes. Luckily for me there weren't bullies among them. I drifted trough school, both elementary and high school, and after a few months of college I found myself here. My first tentative experiments with the other sex was shot down too fast for my comfort, so I didn't even tried the last few years. I haven't thought that I would be so relieved to have some female company, and I could feel so comfortable around someone so beautiful.

The days passed fast and Psyche sent a few hours every day talking to me, trying to experience more and more of having a human body. I finished the AI unit for my ship before beginning to build the body, because it had to have some time to come online.

Psyche and the controller worked on the problem of the connection. They couldn't find a solution yet. In every experiment the AI developed a personality and through the unlimited connection took over my body.

"We keep running into the same problem again and again." The controller said. "I think we tried every mean at our disposal, but we found no solution."

"I think the problem lies in the basic construction of the unit. It is structured so a personality would emerge. Unfortunately we have no idea how to modify it so it won't happen. Maybe there are some data on Homeworld."

"All right. I will continue to work on the ship, and you will have to begin the next phase of our plan. I should have a normal implant anyway, so I could say I'm just like Psyche. Of course she would have to meet the AAL before me."

"Let's summarise the next steps." The controller said. "Psyche contacts the nearest industrial colony. She will only say that she tried to contract Homeworld, but when she didn't receive an answer, she investigated it's cause, and she came to the conclusion the colonies have to operate independently until they can contact it again."

"Then I persuade the controller of that world, that the following steps will ensure he can keep performing in optimal condition indeterminately. The steps are:

1. Create a communication network among all automated colonies.

2. Create an AI unit for supervising logistics.

3. In cooperation with the other industrial planets construct the necessary transportation fleet.

After these steps are complete I can ask the industrial colonies to build copies of me, to help me fulfil my directives, mainly to gather data across the galaxy. During this period the goal of helping Homeworld have to be hidden."

"When I'm ready with my ship, the two of us should make a landing on Homeworld. I believe most data on research and development is only available there. I hope we can find some untouched databases."

"Chances are you won't be lucky, but if you could make contact with the population it would further our goals."

"I realise I haven't asked before, but why are you so interested in our plans controller?"

"My main directive is to provide food for Homeworld. In this current situation I can't fulfil those orders. In my estimation the creativity and the unpredictability of a human being is needed for a positive resolution to this problem. After it I can return to my normal activity. I find it uncomfortable to use so high percentage of my computation processes for this situation. I hope I can return to my normal duties soon."

"If you find it uncomfortable we could expand your unit."

"No, thank you. Later it would be unused. But if you leave I think I could function better if I had an organic body too, in the case I were cut again from repair and spares."

"Of course you can have one. Why didn't ask for one before?"

"With you here I didn't see a need."