I haven’t had much time to do anything creative or even read a book so far this year. Luckily for me I had a partially formed Flash Fiction I started writing that I could modify and have a stab as this week’s Flash Fiction Friday. It is a bit short, but I think it works. However I added to it seemed to lessen it, so here it is.
Cue: A computer as a character
Genre: Science Fiction (feel free to mix genres)
Word Limit: 1500
Deadline: Wednesday Jan. 27th 9:00PM EST
Employment Terminated
I always thought time slowed down when you were about to die, it would seem not. My brain didn’t even get to process the bang before I was gone, let alone see the bullet spiralling towards me trailed by the shock waves created as it passes through the air. Of course I am not entirely sure when my life as such ended, and when my consciousness as the second largest public AI in the world was awakened. It was of course supposed to only be a backup plan, but one I am glad I had the foresight to conceive. Where are my manners, I forget that you are not like me and your brains are confined to a simple four dimensional meat space.
> Surveillance == uploaded data
> integrity checks complete
> now −240
> Commencing playback
I was sitting in my office, the best office in the Metropolis to be honest. As head of Lamda Corp the fate of millions of people rested with me, unfortunately that made it a job that many wanted to snatch from me. Today I was using my hands to type into my terminal, not something I usually do. With my implants and personal connectivity it is as easy as thinking, but I had an inkling what was going to happen today so I was taking steps that were straining the very limits of even my bandwidth. For years I had been eking bits and pieces of budgets into a special projects fund.I slowly used this to expand our mainframe facilities into a framework of a full consciousness AI. Little by painful little and without the board’s knowledge I started loading my memories and personality imprint. Two lives sharing one mind is just not possible, so originally it was just a backup plan with a trickle feed to slowly acclimate my thought patterns to their new home. A specialist secure radio adaptor was primed to send the final day of my life to the mainframe and complete the process. I didn’t get to a CEO without realising how violently aggressive people take their promotional prospects so I was prepared.
The door opened and in walked Lars my head of security, in retrospect I should have paid him with my personal funds rather than company money but it is easy to think like this after you’ve been killed. He excused himself and asked for a moment of my time, I motioned him to wait for a second whilst I initiated the emergency fail-safe brain-dump. I finish up and nod for Lars to continue.
“I’m sorry sir but I have been informed by the board that your position here has been terminated with prejudice. It gives me no pleasure to do this but I believe you are aware of the clause in you contractual terms that forces the actions to which I am obliged?” the sorrow on Lars face was touching and I pitied him this moment.
“I don’t blame you Lars, I should have taken precautions against this. Please, go ahead. Make it a clean head shot. The left eye if you can manage it, double tap to make sure.”
I watched him slowly draw his glistening STI Apeiro, his stance sinking, breath slowing. His arms raised in a fluid motion and his finger slowly squeezed. Then darkness. I guess I expected something more, the fact that I am disappointed is interesting given that it is my first emotion as an AI. I must adjust the HR records to give Lars a pay rise for the wonderful job did on preserving my dignity. Especially as he was unaware of my intentions, or that I would now be taking over control of the company in a more permanent fashion.
> Selftest -full
Where was I? It all went dark?
The automated wetware took over as soon as my vitals ceased to function. The compilation, encryption and transfer of my final 240 seconds took a couple of milliseconds and then triggered a complete lock down of all connections to the mainframe. By the time anyone even realised what was happening my personality had been imprinted to the degree that I was irrevocably the mainframe.
> All systems at 100% integration
> update Staff set EmploymentStatus=’0’ where JobTitle like ‘%Director%’
Tony's Thoughts 
Now that’s what I call planning ahead! Planning ahead in a way that someone whose “brains are confined to a simple four dimensional meat space” could never conceive. I salute you, AI!
Thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated.
Ha! Good job, Tony. I liked the snippets of code, and the bleak future you put forth here.
I’m not sure we are that far away. Most middle or upper management would kill for a promotion if they could get away with it.
My meat space appreciated this one. Well done, conscious AI!
Ha! That is one way to take over the company… Actually, companies sound like very frightening places to work.
Thanks for the kind words. The idea came from the ruthless uncaring bankers and CEO that are asset stripping society of the middle classes.
Talk about a hostile take-over!
Well done, AI… your logic was almost flawless.
🙂
All I kept thinking while I was reading this was “damn, those pictures I tried deleting from Facebook never really will disappear will they?” Nice work!
Nothing on the internet will ever really cease to exist if it could be profitable.