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THE OUTLAND 162
A long time ago, almost ten years ago, there was a breakthrough in the field of information technology - and we stepped out of the world of neural networks and adaptive algorithms to something that already had the right to be called a semblance of artificial intelligence. Of course, science fiction writers long ago predicted the emergence of machines with self-awareness, but the reality again outran all forecasts, being both more amazing and more ruthless than any human dream.We have always followed the path of least resistance, looking for the shortest and fastest paths. But in fact, it turned out that the universe is arranged differently, the most important processes never happen suddenly and instantly. Gene therapy and CRISP cured most of the ailments, extended life, but acted slowly, unhurriedly, throughout the life of the owner of the implant. The cloning of living beings did make it possible to grow exact likenesses of the donor - but at the stage of the embryo, which had yet t
THE OUTLAND 163
— I guess. He answered evasively. - Guilt? Vodka? Or intravenously?- I have no time. Can you deliver it to the right world?“It’s not so easy to get out of there, do you remember?- He doesn't need to. I just want the Umbra idiots to stop pissing the kid off.- I will. Anything else?- I do not know. Are the cultists closed here?“And Conquest too!” God giggled. “This is my throne room, everything here is subject to my will.— Stairway to the sea?“Sorry, laying out carpets and arranging armor was somehow lazy. he winked. - You swear, swear. Let's talk. And drink all the same, otherwise ...A goblet was woven from the air in my hand, and I took a sip of some strange green effervescent liquid from there, which, nevertheless, hit my brain like it should. Immediately it became a little easier to live, released the twisted tension."It's not real, wow! I'm not even on PP, it's just glasses!Convince yourself.- Do you want to ask something? - Carefully specified the Spider, settling next
THE OUTLAND 164
Further contact, service, obtaining military medical certificates - in general, before the last reform, there was no time for games. Now I have much more free time, that's why I came.I chose a random character, a random world - I was even more surprised. I remember: has intelligence mastered several worlds since the end of the trilogy? And so, I am standing at the base, clutching a tablet with documents in my hand, running on alarm to the portal, fleeing from the attack. The last attack of the Conquista, as I remember now.Okay, this is all the preamble, a fairy tale ahead. I don’t know if the game itself chose the role for me, or if I filled out the initial survey so successfully, but even in virtual I turned out to be a shrink in a military organization. The fighters were trained according to an unusual program, teaching them to survive and act exclusively alone, and not as part of the OGRP, as scouts of the "Search", the main tasks are reconnaissance, elimination, sabotage. Nothin
THE OUTLAND 165
The Christmas tree, no matter how incredible the way she managed to get to me and leave her gift on the windowsill, brought it for a reason. Maybe in her family this little thing is used just to calm the nerves or relax when nothing else helps? Or, if you believe in the terrible theory of Astrix about the difference between the worlds - in the world where Tael exists, such projectors were invented specifically for therapeutic purposes.One way or another, and watching the holographic fish dancing in the aquarium little by little brought the state of mind in order, combed the "disheveled brains", restored the balance in the mind and allowed to exhale. Yes, in addition to doctors, five more remote specialists are working on my problem, trying to figure out the reasons for the outbreak of psychosis, but it seemed to me that such a state was caused solely by overload. I hardly slept normally, I was always hanging in the virtual, trying either to get Mekon out of trouble, or to save my Oud
THE OUTLAND 166
Of course, this is not the main entrance and not a turnstile for visitors - that's where the elderly Luddites from among retired warriors who despise "all these newfangled virtual toys" may well live. The drawing of the hospital territory showed four entrances and exits, two of which fell away for obvious reasons, another one, most likely, is also guarded ironically, since the authorities call in there. This means that there was an automatic barrier at Northern Avenue: from there, trucks drove into the territory, supplying sealed containers with food concentrates and medical consumables, plus garbage trucks picking up waste. It is unlikely that a guard is sitting there, no one wants to watch the garbage being taken out.So we are on our way there.The automatic barrier, depicted on the plan as the most ordinary folding stick, in fact turned out to be a dead gate with an archaic thorn at the top. Like at a secure facility, by golly! Nothing, I'm still in the system. A request for the r
THE OUTLAND 167
The bottle was slowly emptying, and with it the viscous stupefaction receded, which seized from the moment of awakening - praise to Ware, I performed most of my "exploits" on the machine simply because once upon a time the mechanisms of hacking and bypassing systems were brought to automatism and the complete exclusion of mental process. Even writing a batch file was once a big problem, but now...Was the game worth the candle? Was the risk worth the time? Unknown. But the security forces’ carriage didn’t fly up to the cafe doors with a screech of brakes, they still didn’t tie me up, the handcuffs didn’t click on my wrist with an almost paralyzing clang. So the bet was justified? Odie was tried, sentenced, but because of the deal with the investigation, all the sins, it turns out, were written off?Here was a smart move. When my loss is discovered - and it will happen sooner or later without any doubt - they will start looking for Rob and his trace in the city, and not a proxy identit
THE OUTLAND 168
The thaumaturge sat at his desk, seemingly out of place gold-rimmed spectacles perched on his nose, burrowing into his papers. Every now and then he dipped his pen into the inkwell, corrected something, shook his head, and began to crack his abacus.Rob is here. Looking up from his papers for a moment, he gave a fleeting smile, but Jane shuddered perceptibly. — Jane, honey, we have a holiday set.- All right, sir. - The girl said colorlessly and silently closed the door behind her.- Sit down, sit down, there is no truth in your legs. Ware dimmed the scarlet glow in his eye, took off his glasses and wearily rubbed the bridge of his nose. Who would have known it would be so tiring...- What are you doing?- Things to do, buddy. I'm a villain by the standards of your friends, a real antagonist, remember? And evil is supposed to be exactly what you demanded - ugly rich and frighteningly law-abiding.- Really accounting? I couldn't hide my chuckle.- Balance and grandmas. Of course, Okama
THE OUTLAND 169
I put my riches back in my backpack, and my fingers prickle painfully - it could have bled, but ... - the third little thing, memorable. A gift from Agnis. It just so happened that all my things are in one way or another connected with my girls. I remember, I remember how Spider laughed at me.Shaking out the steel-framed jewelry, I stared thoughtfully at it, remembering: racing against time and fatigue, trying to either save everyone or myself. What came of it?Nothing good.I screwed up again, there's no doubt about that. He vowed - no, no more, not a step into the terrible creation of his superiors. I don’t know what the NextNgine engine really was: either a surge of genius in an otherwise mediocre young man, or a self-consistent loop, when the inevitable stretches out its hand from the future, or the devil still exists, but he is not interested in souls, but here human suffering in itself... The fact remains that both projects on this engine cost my psyche too much."I would work