Chapter 10: Quality Control

After a brief lull Rob spoke up as if thinking aloud, "What would be created if the seven human brains that form the base network for a Tonto were the brains and minds of young men attending a terrorist Madras in a radical Islamic state? Or what if he should spring from the brain/minds of an Earth First terrorist cell? I can't even begin to wrap my thoughts around the evil that could result if a Tonto type organization's goals were bent on destruction."

Tonto responded, "Now you begin to understand my fear. I do not know if such an organization is even possible but I see no physical reason that would prevent it from forming. I do know, for example, that I have the power to shut down every computer, every network, every radio and TV station, and the entire power distribution grid in every country on Earth and it could be done in seconds; and a whole lot more could be done. Chaos would be endless and billions of people would die within weeks or months.

"The major question facing us now is how do we assure the high moral fiber of each Organic Linking Nanite Composite Family that we create? My first thought is to include multiple members of the original Tufts family for we know who they are and how they think."

Rob responded, "Even that would not be a safeguard. Remember, we sent Katie well armed into the church tower to stand guard while we were gathering people to move onto the Naval Air Station. Her orders were clear, 'shoot to kill'. How would this family react should someone do evil to Ellie or Jason? The day will come when one of our composite members is killed at the hands of an outsider. How will we deal with that? Perhaps we need a stronger moral authority than just the family and along with that authority there needs to be a code of conduct rather than just responding with emotion and anger."

"That is heavy stuff Dad," Jason said. "We will need to work on the concept. If we are going to evoke a God figure there has to be something more than a statue of Baal the Bull and if we are dealing with an invisible God we need better communications than the Catholics or Baptists offer. But right now we have to make some decisions based on what we accept to be right and wrong because the second Tonto grouping will be coming into existence within hours."

"Tonto," Katie asked, "Will it be possible for people to transfer from group to group? Is it possible for one of us to be members of more than one group at a time?"

"Katie, now I want to hug you!" Tonto said. "I don't know the answers but we will certainly find out as soon as the second group is stabilized. We will try transfers, both physically in space and via distant mind linking. And we will see if humans are capable of adapting to being members of multiple groups."

Val broached the next test subject, "Tonto, Sara Miller-Tufts is now in the group as Jason's concubine. She is also the biggest unknown within the family. She is only 15-years-old, has been through a huge mental, physical and emotional trauma and (Please don't take this as a negative comment, Sara!) from a psychological standpoint has the greatest likelihood of being somewhat unstable. She is also brand-new in this family, we only know what she has told us of herself. Do you have a method to 'check her out' from a psychological perspective? Can you determine if she is going to be a wonderful asset or a loose cannon? Or perhaps a combination of those two extremes?"

"Wow!" Sara said. "Don't I get a voice in this deal? How many of you have had your innermost secrets probed, prodded and put on public display. I want desperately to belong but I still want to be me. No matter what happened nor how new I am to this family, I still like who I am. I'm not dead so don't start the autopsy just yet."

Jason glowered at his grandmother and enfolded his new bride in a protective hug. Val hugged them both to her breast and said, "No sweethearts, I wasn't proposing an autopsy and all five of the original family members went through exactly the type of examination you are talking about. It just happened in very slow motion. We all grew up together. Rob and Katie are my kids and try as they might they never could keep a secret from me. When they finally knew they were in love and decided to make love for the first time they snuck off to the guest house on the back of our property. I knew where they were going and what they were planning at least a day before they did - and I was thrilled for them.