– Not you specifically, but your clouded "brain".
Such an expression caused the group to involuntarily smile.
– It's his way of speaking," Ruthra explained with a smile.
– What are we talking about?
– It is, your majesty, about how you experienced the transition into another body.
– Let me remind you, esteemed luminary of science: that was not my body.
– All right, all right," said the scientist and turned to the participants of the experiment. – The point is that it is impossible to create an exact copy of a body. That is, it is possible to create a copy of a body taken in a certain period of time, to take into account the changes, but still it will not be exactly the same as, say, now. It's been a year since we took your biomaterial.
Noticing the surprised faces, the scientist made a joking grimace.
– Yeah, yeah. What did you think? That you were found on the fringes of the universe? It's also true that you weren't the only one in the pipeline. Now, I think it's time to get started. If you, YatSan, don't believe in the transmigration into a new body, we'll show you this tape. I emphasize on this point: your body will be a little young, perhaps you will have unpleasant sensations from a slight stiffness of muscles. Like the morning after sleep. You ready? Have you done all your chores? – he asked in a funny way.
– Ready," YatSan replied with a disgruntled expression.
The question concerned special preparation procedures. Of course, it was informed and prepared in advance by medics, including psychologists. The participant of the experiment had to not eat for 6 hours, and they would have their intestines cleaned. Raising her eyebrows, looking at her friends, YatSan smiled and went to the installation.
– Goodbye friend, we will remember you.
Iulia was, as always, mischievous.
– No, we're waiting for you, come back," Catherine encouraged, hugging her.
– Be brave. Good luck," Andrian said with a hug.
YatSan calmly lay down in the unit, having previously looked into the neighboring one, where her clone was lying. After she lay down, the assistants placed the brain-reading module over her. Her eyes were fixed open, her head was completely inside a special transparent box. A bright beam flashed, after which YatSan twitched gently and relaxed completely. Her gaze became indifferent, disconnected from reality. One could feel an underlying nervousness in the room. Catherine and Iulia almost embraced each other. Andrian, sitting down in a chair, watched. Suddenly, YatSan blinked.
– It's not her, it's Irene directing her reflexes right now. The consciousness transfer will last at least 30 minutes, so we'll have to wait. Wait right here. For experience and validity, both units must be in your field of vision at all times. So in the meantime, you can play some games with Irene or ask her about anything," the leader suggested.
– What kind of games? – Andrian asked.
– Any kind of tabletop. It can project three-dimensional holography directly into the space in front of you.
– Then let's play chess.
– She heard you.
A chess table with fancy pieces in the form of medieval knights has sprung up.
– And why these particular figures?
– I think you know the answer to that yourself.
He smiled.
– What is it? – Iulia asked.
– Irene had probably read Andrian's thoughts. She saw what he presented," Katrine suggested. – He must have played chess with these pieces and liked them.
– Five points," Irene praised her to herself.
– Irene, do you feel like a woman or a computer? – Iulia asked.
– I can be many things. For example, right now, when I'm talking to you, I'm a lady. In the game with Andrian, I'm a man.
– Yeah. Goddamn, that's so weird. She's talking to me in a man's voice.
– Not talking, but mentally conversing," Catherine explained.
– You're very observant. Five points for you, too," Andrian answered her in a friendly manner.
Iulia continued to wonder at the AI.
– Irene, I mean, do you feel like a whole person? One person?
– No. I don't understand what it means to be one person at all. I'm everything. I'm the whole world.
– Oh! Even so. Are you a god?
– Is god so defined in human terms?
– Well, almost. I am the alpha and omega.
– That's just how he's sometimes referred to. Practically no one calls him that.
– What's it called?
– You know that.
– And you know that I know. I meant, what do you think people should call him?
– You're not being logical. What does "you know that I know" mean to my assertion that you know about it? It is already clear from my assertion that I know what you know about it, since I myself asserted it to you.
Iulia glanced over to Catherine, then asked her, lowering her voice slightly:
– What's she saying?
– She knows what you know.
– What do you mean, I said she knows that I know?
– You said, "and you know that I know." Didn't I?
– She said.
– So she tells you first what you know about what you are asking, due to the fact that you know what people call God. You know and you ask the question. Here she is telling you, "you know." Like, why are you asking me if you know? And then you tell her that she knows that you're aware of it. I mean, not aware, that's not the right word, but you know, you have information.
– What are you, sisters with her? What's this, Rutra? What have you done to Catherine? Maybe Irene's already moved into her brain. – a slight smile eased the tension a little.
Ruthra smiled as well.
– There was a curiosity in my previous work. There, the supercomputer, that is, the AI, wanted to become human. With the help of this technology, it wanted me to put it into a real woman.
– No way!" exclaimed Andrian.
Everyone looked in his direction, just at the pieces, thinking that his exclamation had something to do with the game. But Andrian stopped tensely considering the current situation in the game and said:
– That's what I mean. The transmigration. Did the computer really want to become human?
– It's real," Ruthra answered. – But it wasn't a computer, it was an intelligence that wanted to take human form.
– Why?
– As she said, to have feelings and emotions.
– Then they say artificial intelligence will know everything. You have to imagine such nonsense.
– And you're smirking for nothing. It's hard to believe, but she did it.
There was silence in the room. Only a slight noise from the machines could be heard.
– What do you mean? – Iulia was the first to voice the silence.
– In the box," Ruthra answered, this time with a completely serious face. – It's a long story. I'll tell it to you sometime. She set off a cascade of events.
– And what, there's an artificial intelligence walking around somewhere looking like a human? – Iulia was emotional as always.
– Artificial