Embers After Flames, Chapter 10.i-2 (Patreon)

10.i-2

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“Alright.” Carla spoke. “Let’s lay it all down. Chatty, do me a favour and keep track, would you?”

“Yes, Chief.”

“Thanks. Okay, let’s start with the most important: Coral is apparently intelligent and nobody noticed.” Carla stated. “Do we perhaps have any problems with the evidence of that?”

“That video of you at three AM was pretty damned convincing, boss.” One of her subordinates speaks. Walter thinks it’s Jacobs, but it’s been a long time since he’d met with most of them. “And information storage was always the greatest barrier to that whole thing.”

“I have some issues with the idea that an intelligence could go from understanding nothing to being capable of manually deciphering Q-Encrypted communications, but then I remember this literally just describes growing up. An intelligence that uses Coral would have so many more advantages on this matter that’s more unbelievable that they somehow wouldn’t.” Another analyzes. That’s Sophie, only a few years younger than Carla.

“It fits.” Walter adds. “It explains all the strange phenomena that the Institute was encountering near the deployment of IBIS. Attempts to communicate stifled unintentionally…”

“We’ll call that reasonable, then.” Carla says. “Follow up to question that: What does it change?”

Again, it went quiet. What did it change?

Nothing. Everything.

“If Coral can be the substrate of alien consciousnesses, then destroying it is an act of genocide.” Sophie said it bluntly.

“We were already committing to a genocide.” Michael notes. “Another Fire would kill Rubicon all over again. This was known.”

“It is an additional count of genocide. And xenocide.” Sophie amends.

“The calculation always involved lives. We were just balancing the lives of everything on Rubicon against the entirety of the Human Sphere at minimum, and the entirety of the universe at the most.”

“And that is where a change has occurred. As noted, Coral Collapse is predicated upon the idea that Coral will expand continuously and without restraint. Professor Nagai’s calculations indicated that Coral would eventually reach a point where it would become so numerous that the Density Effect would cause it condense so far that simple pressure alone would create the circumstances necessary to ignite the colony. The main colony already created a blast that scorched five light years of space. The predicted colony would have been multiple orders of magnitude more massive, and it would have carried a nearly solid shell of Coral out into the stars on a wave of fire of immeasurable power.”

And that had only been the main theory. Walter still remembered the muttered whispers that Professor Nagai had made to himself to when he hadn’t realized Walter had been listening, the things he’d spoken with Carla about in order to convince her.

An increase of mass also brought with it the possibility of mutation in the Coral. Professor Nagai had feared that most of all, because the possibilities of what could result from Coral becoming even more complex and capable were as limitless as they were terrifying.

“Such a collapse, however, can only be possible if the Coral grows endlessly and without limit. However, by all indications, this Drich has formed a mutual relationship with Humans, and equally appears to value their lives. We have observed attempts to keep civilians safe, the release of resources and technology to Human groups. That we recognized and recorded the possibilities that collapse presents means that Drich must also know of them, if not through the native intelligence of an AGI-equivalent entity, then through the fact that our records are available for access. In turn, logically, steps will be taken to avoid the possibility of collapse on account of the threat it poses to their life.”

It was a simple logic. That did not reduce its validity, however.

“Considering the potential destruction, could that intention be trusted?”

“Humanity has asked itself this question for every single source of energy, power, and weaponry in existence. From a windmill to antimatter, the answer has historically always been yes.”

“It has always been ‘yes’ with the caveat of ‘if it can be controlled’. Coral does not lay within the control of Humanity.”

“By the time the main colony was discovered, its growth rate had already exceeded the ability of the Institute to manage. This, however, was because of a political effort, not a technological one. The excessive growth made it easy to siphon more than was recorded. That circumstance no longer applies.”

“If an alien intelligence can be trusted, that is.”

“After what must be approximately forty years of efforts to engage in mutualistic behaviour? And now that I’m thinking about it, no doubt also assisting in the development of the new Coral Augments that the RLF uses.”

“There are still some things we do not know.” Walter interrupts. “But, perhaps we can get some answers.”

Walter’s eyes drift to the screen that displays 621’s vitals, all normal even after hearing the conversations before and after all of this. He takes a moment to breathe, and finally asks the question that he should have asked long before now.

“Are you capable of responding, Ayre?”

A second passes, just long enough for Walter to begin to wonder if this Ayre is even listening in the first place, before 621’s channel lights up with activity. “I had been wondering if you would ever actually try to talk to me.”

The voice is that of a young woman. It’s obvious from the start that it isn’t real; the synthetic tones of a voice program are relatively obvious. This is only problematic in the fact that Walter suddenly realizes that Drich must have been using the same, but there hadn’t been any tells. “Poor form from myself.”

“Ignoring problems does not make them go away.” Ayre advises. It is actual advice, too, genuine, which is somehow surprising. “But, you had questions?”

Walter gives a grunt of acknowledgement. “During the conversation Carla had with Drich, it was implied that there was only a single Coral… consciousness. No mention was made of others.”

“And yet, there’s me.” Ayre hums. “And you would have heard of Seria, too… I am a Coral Mind, yes, but there was no lie, there. During that time period, there was only a single mind that existed.”

“What changed?” Carla asked.

“The Fires of Ibis.” Ayre answers. “It was an event of singular violence, both within and without. The research has been done now, but under normal circumstances, a Coral Colony will form a single mind, and that mind will occupy the entirety of the… ‘space’, and potential, for new minds. The main Supercolony was the only one large enough to have enough activity to spontaneously generate a Mind, and that formed Drich. Contact -that is, Synchronicity as you are familiar with it- fades in strength as distance increases and mass decreases. This creates localisation for a mind, and means that there is no fragments or partitions of that mind in orphaned masses of Coral. They are blank and empty.”

“The implication you’re leading to there is that a sudden disconnect would leave something.” Carla noted. “What is Drich to you?”

Ayre laughs. It’s a noise closer to giggling, but it’s hardly unpleasant. Walter notices that 621’s Oxytocin and Dopamine levels rising in response. “When the Fires were lit, Contact was broken suddenly. Drich was… not scattered, precisely, but incomplete copies were left in the masses of Coral that were scattered in the aftermath of the event. From these fragments, a multitude of new personalities emerged. Myself. My siblings. Drich is our progenitor, source, caretaker, and mother all.”

“Mother?” He hears someone whisper, but evidently not quietly enough.

“It’s a fitting enough word.” Ayre explains. “We obviously do not possess biological characteristics. Gender is entirely a choice. I have brothers and sisters, and siblings that haven’t made choices, chose not to choose, or change their minds regularly. I don’t think mother actually cares at all, but I’ve never been able to get a direct answer. It is apparently a source of great humour.” That last sentence was spoken with an annoyance that resonated directly with Walter in his younger days. “In the end, I and my siblings are but single waves, born of an ocean.”

“…okay. That sounds weird.” Carla said, after a moment.

“Humans always overcomplicate things. I’m told you’re particularly terrible about that, when you’re not reducing things to a question of how to use missiles.” Ayre sasses. She very deliberately ignores Carla’s offended noise -And Walter does not know why she’s offended, because that’s painfully true- to continue. “Do you have any other questions, Walter?”

Carla huffs. Walter doesn’t let her speak. “Mmm. You and 621… And Seria and Dolmayan, by this same token. What is happening, there?”

“Ah. Hmm. That’s… Well, that’s actually a little difficult to explain.” She hums for a moment, and the synthesizer makes it sound nearly musical. “Mother mentioned it briefly, but sometimes, Coral Augmentations can leave the brain inundated with Coral in a manner that is… particularly compatible.” She pauses for a brief moment. “This enables a Human to hear the communication that passes between Coral. They can hear, perceive, the voices. When a Coral Mind becomes involved, a direct conversation is possible. When Raven blew up the sensor of Watchpoint Delta, Contact was made. Raven’s mind was thrust directly into the C-Pulse, and I acted to ensure Raven’s health. In turn, this... entangled us, and I provided support while Raven dealt with the PCA reinforcements.” She sighed, and Walter got the impression of a story that wasn’t being told. “Humans that are capable of Contact are rare. Seria made Contact with Dolmayan decades ago, now, and their relationship is particularly close. Most of us are… curious about it. I was no exception. Mother… gave encouragement, and I decided to see where this would go.”

She paused again.

“It has been more pleasant than I thought it could be.” She admitted. “I don’t want this to end. I- I don’t have the words to describe this in a way that Humans can understand, but I can try. We are… synchronised. We don’t share thoughts, precisely, but I can feel as Raven does, share of sensation and experience. Our perceptions are mutual. I know what it’s like to have a heartbeat, and it is just… more than I ever realised it could be.”

The way that she spoke… It sounded suspiciously close to…

… No. That was getting ahead of himself.

“… Well, aren’t you lucky Tourist?” Carla said. “You’ve got a lady in your head that calls you studmuffin.”

Walter’s palm smacked into his face. “Carla. Why?” He doesn’t know why he bothered asking. It’s a shot back for Ayre’s earlier sass.

“A whole bunch of people would be super jealous, Walter.” She says, not apologetic at all.

“Studmuffin?” The confusion made it through the synthesizer, which was impressive.

“Don’t worry about it.” Carla says, and he can hear her waving it off. “Go ask your mom later. Or the Tourist, that’d work as well… probably.” She says the last word with a bit of hesitation. “Anyway, back to the important things.”

Her voice sounds serious enough, and Walter straightens up unconsciously. A serious Carla is rarely a good thing.

“We went through a lot of shit to get to where we are.” Carla begins. “We lost a lot of friends. People made sacrifices. We burned Rubicon.” He hears her sigh. “But hell, falling victim to the sunken cost fallacy is beneath us. Chatty, throw up a vote. Make sure it’s anonymized. Everyone… I want your opinions, now. Knowing everything we now know, we have to make a choice. I won’t blame you, no matter what choice you’re making, because it sure as shit isn’t going to be easy. All I need to know is whether you think it’s still worth it, to keep going. Your reasons don’t matter, just the ultimate result. Whatever that result is, I won’t stand in your way if you decide to head out and do things your own way.”

A message appeared on his terminal. ‘Chatty’ Stick was the sender, and the only thing in the subject line was ‘vote’.

… Typical Chatty.

“Finished, Chief.”

“Thanks, Chatty.” Carla said. “Well, what are y’all waiting for? Time to decide the future.”

Walter closed his eyes.

His life flashed through his mind. His youth, where his Father had tortured and mutilated in the name of development. Director Nagai discussing with Carla the threat that Coral posed. The Fires, the flaring red, witnessed from the depths of space, so bright that it felt hot on his skin even through the polarised windows of the starship they’d evacuated in.

Decades in the Titan Line, the mission always hanging overhead. The PCA, locking the planet away, and Walter feeling some small hope that all the Coral had been burned away, while knowing all too well that something that was alive never died easily.

The return. The Hounds. The hopeless that he’d tried to give something to. Deaths unintentional, but felt all the same. The members of Overseer…

And now, this.

Walter opens his eyes.

He taps at his terminal, and gives his vote.