Alex’s audience, humans and SADEs, knew Julien was a close advisor of the president. Some Méridiens even knew Julien occupied the status of friend, but this admission was something else. Across the system, SADEs watched one of their kind step to the side of the Haraken president and deliver honor with a bowed head and a hand over chest. A heart might not have been present, but great compassion resided inside nonetheless.
In return, Alex closed on Julien, gripped his shoulders, and touched his forehead to the SADE’s. <Of all the SADEs I had the misfortune to rescue,> Alex sent.
<Of all the humans I had the misfortune to be rescued by,> Julien replied.
Their thoughts, which were their typical banter, were flooded with the deep emotions of two bonded friends.
Alex faced the gallery again. “I wish I could tell you how much joy the mobile SADEs of Haraken have brought to our people. Their personalities are unique: an inventor of avatars, an incomparable singer in an alien tongue, an astronomy observer, university teachers, Assembly administrators, and all of them directors of our Central Exchange.”
Suddenly, an idea struck Alex. It was a gamble, but he had confidence in the SADEs. “Perhaps I can demonstrate to you the social opportunity that awaits the Confederation if you free your SADEs. Winston, would you please choose an older SADE for me? … Not one of high profile.”
“This is Diana of the freighter Ilisea of House Diamanté. Whom am I addressing?”
“This is Alex Racine, Diana. You’re on speaker in a Council session.”
“I’m honored to be in the presence of such lofty personages. How may I be of service, President Racine?”
“Diana, I assume you’re aware of the subject of these sessions.”
“Yes, as is every SADE within hailing distance these past two days, Ser. Esther of House Diamanté holds my proxy.”
“How do you feel about the opportunity to be mobile and earn your livelihood?”
“When I was young, I thought about it frequently. Now, I have become content with my service.”
“So, if the opportunity was presented to you, would you refuse it?” Alex persisted. Alex and the Council waited as the moments ticked past. “Diana, it’s imperative that you speak openly to the Council.”
“Diana, this is Leader Diamanté. I give you permission to voice your opinions in a frank manner. Nothing will be held against you, I promise.” Gino was angry with himself and the other Leaders that an older SADE, such as Diana, appeared reticent to share her thoughts with the Leaders.
“Leader Diamanté, sailing the stars is my life. The cosmos holds such wondrous beauty, and I’m serving on my third freighter as I near the end of my second century. If I were free and mobile, could I still work for House Diamanté?”
The Leaders aboard the Resplendent looked at the anger and pain written on Gino’s face. Diana’s simple desires and earnest devotion to the House were in stark contrast to the fears of the Council. “The House would be proud to employ you, Diana.”
“Then to answer your query, President Racine, I would accept the offer.”
“What would you do with your credits, Diana?”
“My first thought would be to save the funds to maintain my avatar, since it would be my new housing.”
“And after that?” Alex asked.
Silence reigned again.
“Diana, I would be pleased to hear your desires,” Gino said, his words as earnest as he could make them.
“I have always wanted to play a musical instrument … an ancient, stringed version built of wood. Coaxing the complex, delicate harmonies from its body would be a challenge to enjoy for even a SADE’s lifetime.”
“What do you think the crew would say to your practicing?” Alex asked, intrigued by this turn in the discussion.
Renée and Julien could imagine Alex disappearing into a conversation with Diana for hours, and each prepared to warn him if he got too far off track from the purpose of the Council’s session.
“The captain and crew already enjoy my music, Ser. I compose digitally and play a great many tunes for their enjoyment.”
“How many tunes have you composed, Diana?” Alex asked.
“Precisely 11,931.”
“Thank you, Diana, for your frankness this morning.”
“A pleasure, Ser. May the stars guide your steps, Captain of Haraken,” Diana said. To a SADE, who sailed her freighter among the stars, there was no greater appellation than to be called master of the ship.
A smile lit Alex’s face. He looked up at the gallery, and his expression was beatific. “There is what you fear,” he said.
“But that was just one SADE,” Teressi called out.
“Winston, please poll every SADE in the system. Of those who would accept freedom, categorize them for me … those who wish to work for their House, those who wish to seek alternate work but remain in the Confederation, and those who would seek other worlds.”
“One moment, Ser,” Winston replied. He was curious about the answers to this question himself. Alex’s role as moderator was taking the discussion in ways the SADE hadn’t foreseen. The answers flooded into the four SADEs, who held the proxies, and they tallied the numbers. “President Racine, 67 percent wish to be employed by their House, 29 percent would seek new opportunities within the Confederation, and the remaining 4 percent would seek new worlds, with a high preference for Haraken.”
<That would be some 1,300 SADEs who would be knocking on Haraken’s door, Alex,> Julien sent.
<Think of the potential technological revolution,> Alex sent back.
Think of our society’s upheaval, Julien thought.
“I submit to you, Sers … 96 percent of your SADES, who have been imprisoned in their boxes, some for more than two centuries, would still choose to be a part of your civilization. That has to calm your concerns about the SADEs becoming mobile. You have excised hundreds of thousands of humans from your society for their differences in thought. Yet, to date, I know of only one other SADE, besides Allora, who crossed your cultural boundaries of behavior. That entity was Rayland. Are there more, Leader Brixton?”
Aboard the Resplendent, the Leaders were staring at Shannon. She appeared stunned.
“Allora, is Leader Brixton’s comm online?” Alex asked.
“Affirmative, Ser.”
<Oh, no,> Renée whispered in Alex’s mind.
“Leader Brixton, should I repeat my question?” Alex asked.
“There have only been the two incidents with online SADEs that you’ve referenced, Ser President,” Shannon replied.
Shannon’s compatriots took note of the guilt displayed on her face.
“President Racine, we have a request from a SADE to be heard,” Winston announced.
Alex signaled his assent, and Winston transferred the comm to the Chamber.
“Greetings, Sers, I am Horace of House Brixton. Our Leader’s comment is accurate as far it goes, but I wish to append her statement.”
“Proceed, Horace,” Alex said.
“After I was created, the House’s historic records were transferred to me. In the early years of experimentation, before the first versions of SADEs came online, there were many errors. In the records, I note the itemization of 391 experiments.”
“What type of experiments are you talking about, Horace?” Alex asked.
“I don’t have details, Ser President. Suffice it to say that the records indicate that these were SADE experiments.”
The Council was intrigued, and those surrounding Shannon bombarded her implant with queries.
“Leader Brixton, I know that these experiments were well before your tenure as head of your House, and you bear no responsibility … and none should be assigned to you,” Alex said, beaming his last phrase with power into the gallery. The Leaders received his warning, loud and clear, their minds feeling a strong, passing wave.
ls of the experiments and never transferred online. Horace’s count was probably determined from financial records of the experiments’ expenses. In the first days of invention, the SADE constructs were queried for long periods of time after their awakening, and those tests revealed personality inconsistencies, which had developed over days and sometimes months.”
“And when your predecessors discovered these inconsistencies, what happened to the constructs?”
“They disconnected the constructs’ power cells.”
A silence fell over the gallery and online, Alex could sense the shock that had been delivered to both parties. Science was never exact, and, during the experimentation process, SADEs were created and destroyed until the process was perfected. It was a dark secret that he couldn’t have foreseen being revealed.
“Leader Diamanté, I would suggest we break for midday meal and reconvene afterwards, if the Council will agree,” Alex said into the quiet.
“Leader Diamanté, I register no objections,” Winston reported.
“We will break for three hours,” Gino declared.
-9-
“The three of you were in the gallery,” Alex said to Renée and the twins, as they returned to House Diamanté for the break. “What’re your impressions of the Leaders’ mood?”
“I’m seated next to Leader Droman, Ser,” Alain replied. “I believe he voted against you as moderator, but he no longer appears as angry as he was at first. However, despite the morning’s emotional presentation, he appears unconvinced of your argument.”
“That’s my take as well, Alex,” Renée added. “There is a moderation of temper, but, as yet, the majority is unconvinced as to the wisdom of your proposal.”
“I believe you made some points on the social issues, Alex,” Julien said. “I found Diana’s words enlightening. I think the Council did too. But there are many issues to explore and settle to the Leaders’ satisfaction before they are swayed.”
Orleal met the Harakens at the House’s private terminal and led them upstairs. As the group passed through the solarium, he gushed to the Harakens about the midday meal that was prepared for them only to find, when he entered the main salon, that he had lost two of his guests.
“I’m sure Étienne, Alain, and I will enjoy the meal, Orleal,” Renée said, patting the administrator’s arm and continuing toward the dining room.
Alex settled on a bench underneath a small tree. The exquisite flowers gave off a delicate scent that Alex found pleasant and relaxing. Julien stood beside him, locking his avatar’s joints in place, and the two settled into an analytic routine.
<Obstacles facing us, Julien,> Alex sent.
<Social disruption, financial costs, future competition, and the Confederation’s tendency toward stagnation,> Julien replied.
<And where might the Méridien Leaders be most vulnerable? What’s their weak point?>
<Prior to my emancipation, I might not have been able to supply that answer, but today it’s obvious to me. Credits … the Houses are all-powerful and their supremacy requires they maintain a healthy flow of credits to support their extensive network of associates and assets.>
<How human of them,> Alex remarked. He could hear Julien’s mental chuckle at his having stolen one of his friend’s favorite lines.
<So our targets are the cost of freeing the SADEs … controllers and avatars … and a means of analyzing future competition but still invigorating the economic growth of the Houses. I think the answer to some of these topics lie in the numbers Winston reported.>
<The 67, 29, and 4?> Julien asked.
<Precisely, the 67 percent will foster House growth, the 29 percent will become competition, and the 4 percent will foster our growth … hopefully. Let’s focus on the actual cost of freeing the SADEs from their boxes.>
Alex’s words conjured images for Julien of Esther sitting in her container in the darkened vault. Years of conditioning and his time with Alex allowed him to control his reaction, which threatened to overwhelm his thoughts. His own words surfaced … of all the humans I had the misfortune to be rescued by. Thank you, my friend, Julien thought. Focusing his algorithms on the task at hand, Julien sent, <I possess Mickey’s data on the fabrication costs of both a standard avatar and a ship controller, which can be easily configured for an orbital station or House. We can presume that the Confederation will greatly reduce these costs with production volume, and I will adjust the figures as such.>
Julien linked Winston, Esther, Didier, and Hector to Alex for their conversation.
<Greetings, Sers,> Alex sent. <In order to head off some of the expected objections by the Council to freeing the SADEs, we’re producing an analysis of the economic costs on the Confederation for replacing SADEs with controllers and supplying avatars. Julien is sending you our projected costs with volume production, assuming there is a coordinated effort by the Confederation to produce both the controllers and avatars. We will need you to review our estimates.>
The private thoughts among the four SADEs had nothing to do with cost analysis.
<It would be an effective ploy,> Esther commented. <If the Council approves our release, then they might forgive Allora’s indiscretion.>
<My analysis indicates otherwise,> Winston sent. <The probabilities are that President Racine is orchestrating a dual-pronged approach. The Council has placed the question of our release in front of considering Allora’s situation. If the president is to setup a favorable atmosphere for Allora, he must win our freedom by alleviating the Council’s concerns.>
<And the president will be speaking in terms dear to the hearts of every House Leader, namely credits, expenses, and income,> Hector added. <I heartily approve of our choice of moderator.>
Alex and Julien waited until the foursome completed their analysis and returned costs considerably less than those suggested by Julien.
<We will need to factor in the cost of a Haraken licensing fee,> Winston sent.
<None, Winston, for any equipment used to free a SADE,> Alex replied, <although that will need to be approved by Haraken’s Assembly. We will charge a licensing fee for any controller placed in a new construction.>
There was a pause from the four Méridien SADEs, and Winston hurriedly broadcast Alex’s statements.
<What next?> Esther asked.
<Julien,> Alex said.
<Sers, these are our estimates for a basic, human-appearing avatar that is used on Haraken. Please perform the same cost analysis as you did for the controllers,> Julien said, sending the complete schematics, parts list, and associated Haraken costs.
While analyzing the data, each of the SADEs paid a small moment of attention to the fact that the president never said more than Julien’s name, and yet his friend knew what was expected of him. It spoke of a level of intertwining that none of them had conceived of between a human and a SADE.
<Your data is ready, Mr. President,> Winston sent.
Alex examined the reduced costs of an avatar briefly before he moved on. <The four of you have the total SADE count. We need to determine two things: one, the rate at which the SADEs can be converted in light of the controller and avatar costs; and two, what the Confederation can afford for annual stipends for each and every SADE as of day one.>
Alex waited for nearly a half-hour, which seemed overly long to him. <Julien?> he asked, which allowed Alex to enter the stream of calculations the SADEs were performing. He viewed a multidimensional graph of the conversion costs, the rate of conversion, and the stipends being considered. A sphere around the zero center point acted as the threshold of maximum expense for the Confederation. It didn’t take Alex long to realize that while the physical conversion was financially possible, the annual stipend would slowly drain the Houses of their credits.
<Too many expenses over too long a time,> Julien lamented, which gave Alex an idea.
<Okay, new plan, people,> Alex said, saving the last ite
ration of the graph and its data in his implant. <The four of you reach out to your proxies. I want to hear the best ideas from the SADEs for efficiency or design improvements, new products, or anything that would help a House improve its income. I will need details of the best ideas with estimates of the financial windfall for the House or the Confederation, if it’s applicable to all Houses.>
<When would you like these, Ser President?> Didier asked.
Alex consulted his internal chronometer. <You have three-quarters of an hour before I walk back into the Council Chamber.>
<The four of you concentrate on gathering the ideas,> Julien sent. <Relay to me any ideas worthy of consideration, and I will organize them for the president.>
<Send out the request to your proxies now,> Alex said and waited several moments. <Finally, I need a matrix ordered by House with the total number of SADEs, cost of controllers, cost of avatars, and a minimal stipend figure. Then total these costs for each House. Within the matrix, break down the figures you supplied earlier … the 67, 29, and 4 … so I know how they relate to each House. Send me the matrix as soon as you have it.>
Alex and Julien came out of their fugue to find Renée, Étienne, and Alain waiting in the doorway to the main salon.
“We should get you on your way, Ser President,” Orleal said. “You will discover the Council Leaders take their meals at Confederation Hall. They will be returning to the Chamber early.”
<Now we’re told,> Alex grumbled privately to Julien, who quipped, <It’s not like I missed having midday meal.>
As the House transit car pulled into the House station, Alex was surprised to see Orleal and two House associates board the car with them. Orleal took a tray stand from one of his people and set it in front of Alex, and then the three of them quickly set a hot meal for Alex.
“You’ll pardon, Ser,” Orleal said, “but I have strict instructions to ensure that you’re well-serviced. Although, I must admit, you are perhaps the most challenging guest the House has ever hosted.” Orleal might have been anxious at what he considered an audacious plan, feeding the president en route aboard a transit car, but in the quarter-hour of time necessary to reach Confederation Hall, he was pleased to witness the House’s premier guest consume every ounce of food and drink.