I expected Zykum to say hello when I opened the air lock and climbed into the pilot’s seat, but he just sat there, not moving, not reacting in any way. He was slightly smaller than I was, constructed of silver metal, with four limbs that could function as either arms or legs, and a spherical head, complete with eyes and a mouth. There was also a narrow opening in his chest that looked similar to the frame that housed Ark beneath the wheel.
Gabe was behind me, with Ark in his hands. He couldn’t stop staring. “I didn’t know we were going to have help.”
Ark said. He laughed.
Gabe leaned in and brought the cube slowly toward the aperture.
said Ark.
He turned it over and slipped it into the opening. It was halfway in when something clicked and it went the rest of the way. “You okay, Ark?”
The robot’s eyes lit up and it leaned forward, putting one hand across its breast.
“I guess we’re ready to go,” I told Belle.
she said. Belle-Marie
“Okay,” I said. “We’ll wait it out.” The surf was receding. In the distance, I could see something that looked like a Ferris wheel. And a pier with a building that might have been a casino. “It’s easy to imagine this place overrun with tourists.”
said Ark. His voice had changed. Its pitch had gone lower.
That left me lost for words. And Gabe showed no interest in joining the conversation. I smiled and tried to sidetrack things by asking Ark whether he could find time before we left to introduce us to the bipeds.
“That would be an excellent idea,” said Gabe.
“I’m sorry to hear it,” Gabe said. “What do they look like?”
“Please.”
Belle activated the display and we began to get pictures. That was another shock. They looked like us. Except that they lacked hair, except for eyebrows, and they appeared to be more flexible than we are. Evolution may have gone a step further. I couldn’t help thinking that they might have been what we would look like in a few thousand years. More musculature, smoother features. But their clothing was slightly on the good side of shabby. said Ark, That fact was not obvious from the pictures since there was no human in them for comparison.
said Ark,
Gabe was obviously pleased. “I think we’re both happy to hear that,” he said. “And our experience here has been memorable for us as well.”
Belle jumped in:
Ark said,
Gabe took a deep breath. “Ark, the ability to experience emotion is not a defect. It may be our most valuable quality. In any case, my friends call me Gabe.”
“I think you do. When this is done, we’ll be going home. When we do, would you like to come with us?”
“That sounds,” I said, “as if you are pretty emotional yourself.”
I couldn’t help noticing the change in expression on Gabe’s face. I’d been thinking about asking him why, if AIs were really only datanets faking human qualities, we were risking ourselves to rescue Sayla. But that no longer seemed necessary.
We rendezvoused with the about an hour later. A few minutes after that we were all on the bridge. Gabe was in the right-hand seat, and Ark stood behind us. “How should we address you now?” asked Gabe. “Are you still Ark? Or Zykum?”
“ is correct.”
“Good. That keeps things simple.” Gabe looked down at the control panel. “Belle?”
“How was Ark able to take you over, shut down communications, and take control of the lander with a radio transmission? I wouldn’t have thought that was possible.”
She didn’t respond.
I took over. “Belle, you there?”
“Please answer the question.”
“What are you telling us?”
“And?”
“We’re listening . . .”
“So,” said Gabe, “you suggested he seize the lander?”
“By taking the lander.”
“You know you scared us out of our minds.”
We both glanced back at the robot. It was standing immediately behind us, one hand on the back of Gabe’s chair. Its eyes were active, but I saw nothing that implied a reaction. “You know,” Gabe continued, “he could have been lying to you. He could have just wanted to get his hands on Chase and me and the lander.”