Part 12: Episode 40 - Guardian Angel

PRE-MISSION DIALOGUE



NVS [Possibilities in the world of computers]
Caster
On that note, now for our continuing story on notable new technologies from Neucom as well as other companies.

The duplication of human consciousness through “sublimation”. First of all, we are linked up with the one in charge at the site who is advancing its development, Neucom’s Dr. Simon, via Data Swallow, so let’s begin there.

Hello!


Simon Orestes Cohen
Oh... may I blather on now? Well... uh, perhaps I should start talking about the history?

Computer technology from around when governments still held power was little more than a tool for humans. And so, only in such fantasies known as “sci-fi novels”, “films”, or “video games” did we see such dreams known as “robots” and “cyborgs”, where computers or machines were given personality.

However, as for a clever computer or artificial life-form that has the complex sentiments of human beings so far, I have yet to meet one. Why is that?

The conception is mistaken from the start.

—yes. Making life from nothing is still something only God can do. Instead, if we humans, in contrast, could become machines or computers, that’s a possibility.

—just for example. I wear glasses, but thinking a certain way about it, you could call me a partially mechanized cyborg. A number of mechanisms like this are there to supplement human ability.

A final realm in extension of that would be to digitize the personality that composes the human brain as-is, as data, and copy it onto computers; in other words, developing a bootleg copy of the brain.

That is my research.

—you follow?

This is not a pipe dream of times past. In practice, approving of this plan, there are those who wish to participate in experiments as well as repeated offers from Neucom, at least....

Some of the mainstream media are slamming me and my experiments, but uh...It’s like the way people way back when used to criticize, when they saw the shape of an airplane and asked if such a heavy lump of iron would fly;

foolish cowards—


Oh! Excuse us. It seems some circuit has gone bad. Doctor, can you hear us?

Well, let’s go to commercial.



Cynthia [Dispatch Request]
Pardon the interruption.
This is a dispatch request. Or more accurately, a briefing. New R-Numbers have also been deployed. Test various ones so you find a Coffin that suits you.

Well then, we should be meeting up there.


POST-MISSION DIALOGUE


Cynthia [I thought so....]
First off, this message is a personal matter.

And... oh right, the shuttle guys were thankful, too. The results of the experiments in space didn’t come to naught, either. I, too, am thankful that you came over to Neucom.

If I had your skills, I’d surely be able to sync with whatever new R-Number, too. It was as if you could even feel the wind on your wingtips, I thought.

—that’s all. Later....


Fiona [After that]
Today, after that, I met with the shuttle people. They said that the feeling around the time you come descending from space to the sky is the rediscovery of gravity that you know through your body.

That we can’t ascend any higher than the sky...

I felt that when meeting with them. When I encounter people like this, I felt I could get used to even Neucom’s newness.

How are you? Have you gotten used to it yet?

—Fii, out.