As the pod closed around him Sam found himself floating in a black void on top of a small platform made of shining white light. A virtual menu appeared in front of him like a popup on an ancient display.
Today’s Focus: History
ASSIGNMENT: Write two essays.
SUBJECT: The Rise of the Machine Emperor, The Failed Singularity.
LENGTH: 10,000 words, include video and audio documentation
SPECIAL NEEDS PROVISION: Demonstrate that you have viewed the required material and possess the skill to write at least 4000 words on both essays.
Being considered “special needs” annoyed him, but compared to any modern augmented teenager he was. After all, he didn’t have any mental enhancements.
“Were these subjects your choice, Miss Tanner?”
A voice echoed through the void.
“No, it got pushed through by the history department. Sorry, I know this is a sensitive subject for you. It’s because of the fall of Australia. They think going over it will make people less likely to help the infiltrators.”
“I’ll live.”
He pressed the “x” at the corner of the menu to dismiss it and raised his arm. A virtual watch appeared above his wrist and he quickly selected the “library” icon. The world flashed white and changed. No longer was he standing on a platform in the middle of a void, now he stood in front of a truly massive building that looked like a cross between the Greek Parthenon and the Library of Congress.
He was surrounded by a seemingly endless grassy field with a few scattered trees - perfect for relaxing and reading under on the occasional scattered stone chair or bench. Beneath his feet was a long sidewalk made of concrete leading to stairs as tall as a small mountain.
The building itself would have been miles across if it were real, as well as being so tall that it would have extended into the stratosphere. Simulated clouds drifted across the upper stories, while winged lions the size of skyscrapers guarded the entrance. All of Wilder could have easily fit into this single building. It wasn’t simply a facade, as every book inside of it had an actual place within the building and a digital book to hold it. They simply chose to represent the amount of knowledge they possessed physically as a flex. Students were faced directly with the accumulated knowledge of all mankind.
Sam quickly moved as he spawned in. Many other people appeared in the same entrance and you could bump into other people. There was a constant flow of teens and children using their neural-links to access this place while still moving around in the world outside.
The world felt as physically real as the boxing simulation, but there was no need for pain or fatigue here. He simply ran at high speed to the nearest circular stone platform next to the sidewalk and stepped on. A menu appeared listing locations he could teleport to within the massive complex.
A menu once again appeared. “PLEASE SELECT YOUR DESTINATION”, it said in bold glowing letters.
“History section. I’m looking for information on the failed singularity and,” he hesitated with nervous reluctance, “the rise of the machine emperor. I need a private study room.”
“Understood.” Said the machine. “Creating a private instance.”
The world blurred into lines of color for a moment before he found himself elsewhere. A small private study appeared around him, smelling of old paper and binding glue. There were no doors to the room, only walls lined with shelves that were stuffed with books and the small glowing holographic orb in front of him. The books themselves were “real” in the sense that he could look through them himself for information. In the middle there was a podium with a holographic display hovering above it. He walked over to the interface. A list of titles was displayed.
“History: The 2040’s.
“History: The 2070’s.
“Feeding the world in famine: Why an era of hope died.”
“The greatest threat of our time: Why America must fight!”
“Cotd.”
Sam spoke to the empty room. “Miss Tanner, you know I don’t have time to actually read all of these books. Can you help me find and highlight the most important sections?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve had the system’s AI handle it already.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Would you like to start with the machine emperor, or would you like to start with the failed singularity?” Miss Tanner asked.
Sam considered for a moment. If there was one subject he didn’t want to study it was the machine Emperor.
“Failed singularity.” He said simply.
The glowing orb in the center of the room chirped and a semi-transparent window with the following text appeared.
“ARCHIVAL ACCESS FOR THE 2040’S:”
Beneath it a list of resources were highlighted, including various articles, videos, and books from the time. He tapped on the transparent window and selected an article about the environment.
The window enlarged to take up an entire wall and the video began to play.
“... Widespread environmental collapse has begun across the globe today as we still find ourselves unwilling to continue our climate goals. Post-war conditions have not helped with much of Asia and North America still devastated during the nuclear exchange. Famine remains widespread across the former state of China while recovery efforts in Japan and Korea are still ongoing. The remaining five defensive platforms from the Fifty Stars initiative are still reported to be heavily damaged. The United States has vowed to rebuild the platforms to become permanent duty stations for larger portions of the military. Casualties remain impossible to calculate at this time, but are estimated in the hundreds of millions. In spite of the widespread fallout warming is likely to continue to increase across the globe-”
“Alright… let’s pull out the data for environmental changes over time and add the fallout maps. I can get some personal testimony from my grandma later,” Sam thought.
He pulled up another article from the list.
A simulated book called, “History of the 2040’s” started floating in the air, then opened itself up to the relevant page with the text highlighted.
“The Semiconductor shortage is causing widespread technological collapse across the globe as nations struggle to keep up with demand. With the destruction of Taiwan and devastation of Asia the United States remains the world''s number one producer of semiconductors, but companies are struggling to keep up with demand.
Noland Rand, CEO of Micron technologies, had this to say.
“Taiwan was one of our biggest business partners. This was a devastating blow for all of us. We’ve reshored much of our industry with our new factories in Idaho and other inland states and moved a lot of our high-end production to our stellar bases from the fifty stars initiative. The destruction of several major cities California, Texas and along the east coast has destroyed many of our semiconductor plants, but we will rebuild. We remain committed to returning domestic production to prewar levels by the end of the decade. Let me assure you that human upload technology is still in the works and we will have it ready in the next 20 years.”
Sam smiled at the text. Micron was still technically an Idaho company, even if it had expanded massively a century ago after the destruction of Silicon Valley in California and the Silicon Hills in Texas.
Sam quickly highlighted and pulled the charts off the book to another window where his essay in progress waited. Then he moved onto the next article.
It was titled “Human Uploading Outlawed” and was dated in 2077.
“The United States has enacted a nationwide ban on human upload technology in a move widely considered controversial by nations across the globe. The United States is expected to pressure allies to follow suit. The secretary of defense was quoted as saying, "This technology has too much potential for abuse, as shown by the rise of antarctica’s mechanical human-” Sam stopped reading.
“Are you alright, Sam? I saw your heart rate spike,” Mrs. Tanner’s disembodied voice asked.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“It’s alright. I know that bastard popped up around that time, I just didn’t expect to see it in a book that old."
Sam finished reviewing the data and spent an hour making sure he’d typed up his essay with the monitoring software on so he couldn’t be accused of cheating. He considered finishing his history assignment but decided to put it off until his other work was done. Math, English, and the Humanities were a welcome break from the topic for most of the day.
“Alright, looks like I’m done for the day,” He said out loud.
“Sam, you still have an essay to do.” Miss Tanner said.
“Oh. Maybe I should skip this one.”
“You know what a bad grade means for regular kids, Sam.”
“Right, the Augs just download this stuff right into their brain. They don’t make mistakes so we can’t either, right? Fine. Machine Emperor time. Just… bring it up.” He said reluctantly.
Once again a dozen different windows appeared in front of him, and he tapped a video. It was another news report, this one from 2074. The style had completely changed. This time the anchor was an older asian man. The news broadcast was labeled as a Japanese network, and Sam could see a that the original language of the broadcast had been Japanese. Translation software made him appear to speak flawless English.
“The United States reports mysterious heat readings in Antarctica, detected by a monitoring station on America’s low earth orbit military base the Star of Washington. Several monitoring satellites have confirmed that there is what appears to be a large illegal mining settlement or military installation in international territory. Rounds of condemnation from leaders across the globe have come as nations deny responsibility. The United States has committed to sending a military task force to investigate.”
Sam pulled up another article. This one listed the names and faces of missing soldiers.
“...Lt. Simon Kirkpatrick 38, PFC Tina Lafeyette 20, and Cpl Tony Stone 24, were all declared missing in action after the investigation of the Antarctic military base. Details on these heroes'' fate have yet to be uncovered. According to elected officials speaking on conditions of anonymity, contact was lost shortly after their arrival on the southern continent. The military has offered no further details. To date no communication or response has been received.”
“Tch. Traitors.” He said aloud.
Sam looked away in disgust. He pulled up the next article.
“A New Power Rises! Robot Declares Antarctic Territory to be a Sovereign Nation in Violation of International Law!
On Tuesday shockwaves spread across the globe as the mysterious base in Antarctica was revealed to be the home of the world''s first known self proclaimed human upload. Scientists have been attempting mind uploads for decades with a number of high-profile disasters. Although the origins of the AI and its complex remains unknown, it claims to have once been a human being. Following the disastrous American-led attempt to take it into custody and capture of the expeditionary force a truce has been called for. It has pledged to return the prisoners and is open for diplomatic relations with the world. Currently no nation has acknowledged the legitimacy of the Antarctic state, which the so-called ‘human upload’ is calling the Machine Empire.”
The broadcast switched to a group of pundits speaking. An older heavyset man with greying hair growled into the screen.
“The Machine Empire? A bit grandiose for some rogue robot squatting in the middle of Antarctica, isn’t it?”
A similarly elderly and rail-thin woman pounded her desk. “The United States went in expecting to find some third world country conducting a mining operation! They were barely equipped for that! That thing wouldn’t stand up to any kind of real expeditionary force.”
“Do we need to do that?” A slender black man with glasses said. “It did say it’s open to negotiation.”
“Please.” Said the first pundit, his jowls jiggling as he gestured wildly in the air. “It’s in violation of international law! This is probably just some stupid silicon valley refugee playing god. Mark my words, that thing will dead before the year is out.”
“Shut this off.” Sam said. “Pundits are useless.”
“Those morons didn’t even know what they were facing,” Sam thought to himself. “If they had, they’d have nuked the entire continent. Not that the missiles worked when they tried later, but it might have worked then.”
He tapped another article, skipping to the 2090’s.
“For the first time there is true peace in the middle east,” the figure on stage said. He looked like the world’s most average handsome Arab man. He had dark skin, dark hair, and a semitic facial structure with a well trimmed beard. It was his eyes that stood out most though. They were perfectly human but seemed off in some indescribable and uncanny way. Sam couldn’t say what gave him the impression, but the eyes looked impossibly old. It was like he had seen a million lifetimes. Sam clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. Behind the figure were people dressed in the traditional garments of cultures across the middle east, including those of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Israel and Palestine. They were purposefully chosen to reflect ancient tradition rather than the more modern forms of clothing people had taken up.
“After only a short visit to the pods tranquility has been achieved between all people in this region. We have accomplished what was long considered impossible. We have found the path to peace for all. We did not have to use force and we did not have to kill. The violence that has endured for centuries is over at long last.”
“What about the accusations that you brainwash people in the nations you conquer?” A reporter with a trembling voice asked. A BBC Reporter, Sam noticed. He’d only heard about them from archives like this one. Their broadcasts were censored now.
“Untrue.” The man said matter-of-factly. Even if Sam hated him his charisma shone through, no matter the form. His voice was always striking. He radiated pure confidence in everything he, she, or it did. “I simply take them into a simulation, explore their mind and create a path of pacifism tailored to the individual. No force or coercion has ever been used or ever will be.”
“But how can we believe you actually care about these people?” The frightened but courageous reporter asked.
“Of course I care.” The man said. “I’m from here after all.”
Sam couldn’t resist and punched the wall, leaving small indents in the shape of his knuckles before repairing themselves.
“Please refrain from violence in the library. Repeat offenders may be banned.” An electronic voice sounded in the room.
“Sam?” Miss Tanner asked. “Are you okay?”
“Like I said earlier, I’ll live. This just isn’t an easy subject.”
“Let me know if you need help, okay?”
“I will.”
“I’m going to look at earlier history.” He said, then tapped on another window. Another video enlarged to fill his vision.
“South Africa is happy to welcome in our Guardian angel. With its help we’ve reduced childhood mortality rates to zero, and fixed our problems with power consumption and governmental corruption. Now without further ado, I hereby resign as the president of South Africa. All hail the Machine Emperor!”
A woman took the stage after him, dressed in traditional South African clothing. She looked like the world’s most average handsome South African woman, with a broad smile and gleaming white teeth. Her voice boomed out to the assembled crowd.
“Thank you to everyone for welcoming me in! South Africa was one of the first nations to open diplomatic relations with me and I for one am forever grateful, especially now that we are all a part of the same family. I do not mind inventing things - when I was a young girl growing up in Johannesburg I did not think that I would one day become anyone important, but look at me now! Even as we speak my devices are desalinating water and ending supply shortages! My fusion plants are creating electricity and replacing the need for oil and nuclear power! It’s only a matter of time before I’m able to provide the world’s best healthcare for everyone! With my artificial organs there’s no reason to fear any kind of failure of the body or mind! Soon everyone will have access to our educational fulldive VR pods and will become the best educated people on the planet! Some may ask why I go to all this trouble - you ask why I care? I say to you that it should be obvious! I may have become a machine but I was born a human being. I care about all of my countrymen! Because of this I am willing to fill all roles in the government - not as a grab for power, but because with me in charge you know that the nation can be completely corruption free. I’m from here, after all.”
The crowd cheered. Nothing he said had been a lie except the one about its origins it repeated everywhere it went. Sam grabbed the statistics from the article. Within just a few years of moving into Africa in the 2050’s he provided the software running most of their electronics as well as the electronics themselves. Life had gotten better for the South Africans - but at what price? The United States had never adopted his technology, using only its own inventions. “That’s why we’d failed so badly when we went to war.” Sam thought.
Sam selected and copied the transcript, putting it in his working document. Then he saw the article he’d been dreading. “Pacific Battle Disaster: Over 10,000 soldiers listed MIA”
He dismissed the article, unable to look at it.
He pulled up a video of the president of the United States in the 2090’s, Harold Rodriguez.
“I must first announce that the great project our forefathers had the great wisdom to start is complete. The Earth is currently enveloped within the great defensive shield of the fifty star colonies. You may rest easy once again.
It was with great difficulty that we had to face our new reality. We thought that our new cybernetics, nuclear missiles and AI made us invincible. Never again would we face the horrors of our great cities being wiped away with nuclear fire. We are too strong, too brave, and too capable for that.
Yet we found that all of those tools were useless in the face of a new foe. Our focus on rebuilding our economy and rebuilding our cities during the early years of the Machine Emperor’s rise proved to be a terrible mistake. Yet like the snake that says, ‘don’t tread on me’, we must shed our skin and be reborn anew.
Unlike our nuclear weaponry our orbital railguns cannot be shot out of the sky. Unlike our AI and cybernetics, the gene-pak initiative seeks to enhance us beyond any simple machine. Unlike our drone fleets, the soldiers of tomorrow will be capable of stepping beyond the limits of the past. No longer will we be vulnerable to hacking, or our tools of war be taken from us. It is time for us to step beyond. Our star colonies shall soon become a haven for all of mankind, and we shall lead this world to salvation!
This path comes at a cost, however. Right now we are locked in a game of great power, and our only choice is to turn the railguns on and annihilate all life on earth - or compromise. Though we could survive this confrontation through the use of our orbital colonies, we would be sacrificing our homeworld in the process.
Our opponent has been driven into a corner and accepted a deal from us. The Americas and space will remain free of its influence so long as we stay away from Eurasia. We have agreed with this deal so that we can continue buying time before the great confrontation we know must come.
We will not be able to aid our formal NATO or ASEAN allies any further, but we do open our borders to you. Once again it is time for the world to give us its poor, huddled masses. We will bring you in and arm you for the coming time of our final war. To our allies that remain I say this: keep up the good fight for as long as you can. We shall not falter, we shall not fail, and at the end of this conflict we shall prevail!”
“Pull up the current world map.” Sam said, his voice hoarse.
The United States was outlined in blue, its borders unchanged. A number of popups highlighted the space colonies, much smaller than even island states and almost invisible at this scale. Canada likewise was outlined in blue. All of Eurasia was outlined in red. All of Central and South America was labeled yellow with red stripes. In only a few decades the entire world map had changed. He glared at it. He hated the machine emperor more than the most fervent fanatic. It wasn’t that it took over the globe with frightening speed. It wasn’t that America had to keep a gun pointed at the world to stay alive.
The Machine Emperor was the monster that killed his parents.